Fetal exsanguination following intrauterine angiographic assessment and selective termination of a hydrocephalic, monozygotic co-twin.
Publication/Presentation Date
5-1-1989
Abstract
Selective termination by intracardiac potassium chloride injection was performed in twins discordant for hydrocephaly at 20 weeks' gestation. Because of the potential for vascular anastomoses to exist between the twins, fetal angiography was performed prior to the selective termination procedure. Determination of vascular connections between the fetuses was hindered by fetal bradycardia following intracardiac administration of contrast material. Selective termination was performed without difficulty using intracardiac potassium chloride (KCl) to produce asystole in the twin with hydrocephaly. The unaffected fetus appeared active and had a normal heart rate during and immediately after the procedure. However, both twins were found to have died the following day. Pathologic examination documented several vascular anastomoses between the monochorionic, diamniotic fetuses. A likely cause of death was exsanguination of the normal twin into the abnormal one. This case illustrates the difficulties encountered in selective termination of monozygotic twins and, to our knowledge, represents the first reported use of intrauterine fetal angiography.
Volume
9
Issue
5
First Page
301
Last Page
308
ISSN
0197-3851
Published In/Presented At
Donnenfeld, A. E., Glazerman, L. R., Cutillo, D. M., Librizzi, R. J., & Weiner, S. (1989). Fetal exsanguination following intrauterine angiographic assessment and selective termination of a hydrocephalic, monozygotic co-twin. Prenatal diagnosis, 9(5), 301–308. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.1970090502
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
2657707
Department(s)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Document Type
Article