[Invasive fetal therapy]. / Invasiv fosterterapi utvecklas allt mer - Från intrauterin blodtransfusion till fetoskopisk kirurgi, shuntinläggning, laserbehandling och radiofrekvensablation.

Invasive fetal therapy  Invasive fetal therapy in Sweden consists of fetoscopic interventions to treat twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTS) or twin anemia polycytemia sequence (TAPS) in monochorionic twin or triplet pregnancies and for selective reduction in monochorionic twins complicated by discordant anomalies or severe growth retardation in one fetus. Alternative methods, such as intrafetal laser ablation and radio frequency ablation, are also used for selective reduction and rarely to treat fetal tumors. Ultrasound guided intrauterine blood transfusions to treat fetal anemia have been performed for a long time with excellent results. Placement of thoraco-amniotic shunts and vesico-amniotic shunts is indicated in a few cases per year in Sweden. Since these rare interventions were centralized to one national center in 2013, the outcome of the fetal interventions has improved consistently.

Fetal CD103+ IL-17-Producing Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells Represent the Dominant Lymphocyte Subset in Human Amniotic Fluid.

Amniotic fluid (AF) surrounds the growing fetus, and cells derived from AF are commonly used for diagnosis of genetic diseases. Intra-amniotic infections are strongly linked to preterm birth, which is the leading cause of perinatal mortality worldwide. Surprisingly little is known, however, about mature hematopoietic cells in AF, which could potentially be involved in immune responses during pregnancy. In this study, we show that the dominating population of viable CD45+ cells in AF is represented by a subset of fetal CD103+ group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) producing high levels of IL-17 and TNF. Fetal CD103+ ILC3s could also be detected at high frequency in second-trimester mucosal tissues (e.g., the intestine and lung). Taken together, our data indicate that CD103+ ILC3s accumulate with gestation in the fetal intestine and subsequently egress to the AF. The dominance of ILC3s producing IL-17 and TNF in AF suggests that they could be involved in controlling intra-amniotic infections and inflammation and as such could be important players in regulating subsequent premature birth.

Survival and neonatal outcome after fetoscopic guided laser occlusion (FLOC) of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in Sweden.

AIM: To determine infant survival and neonatal outcome after fetoscopic laser treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). RESULTS: In 53/71(75%) laser-treated TTTS cases, at least one twin was liveborn and in 42/71(59%) cases at least one twin survived infancy. Fetal survival did not differ between donors [41/71(58%)] and recipients [46/71(65%), P=0.36]. Among liveborns, infant survival was 29/41(71%) in donors and 36/46(78%) in recipients (P=0.12). Infant survival did not correlate to maternal characteristics (age, BMI, smoking or parity), gestational age at treatment or severity of TTTS (Quintero stage). No TTTS infant born before 25 weeks of gestation survived the first week. Among the 87 infant survivors, 26 (30%) had an Apgar score <7 at 5 min, 47 (54%) developed respiratory distress syndrome, 10 (11%) showed signs of severe brain damage, nine (10%) renal failure, eight (9%) bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and five (6%) infants developed retinopathy of prematurity ≥stage 3. There was no significant difference in neonatal morbidity between recipients and donors. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal survival after laser treatment was comparable to that reported by other international centers. There was no significant difference in survival or neonatal morbidity between donors and recipients. Major neonatal morbidity was common, and combined with extremely preterm delivery the prognosis of TTTS is poor.

Establishing a national program for fetoscopic guided laser occlusion for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome in Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the establishment of the fetoscopic guided laser occlusion (FLOC) technique for treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and the initial results in a Swedish national center. DESIGN: Retrospective, descriptive study. SETTING: Tertiary level university hospital. POPULATION: All referred and treated cases suffering significant TTTS. METHODS: The present study includes all cases of FLOC for TTTS at the Center of Fetal Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden from October 2001 until December 2009. Patients were referred from all over Sweden and a few from other Nordic countries. The patients were evaluated with ultrasound examination between gestational ages of 18 and 26 weeks. Data from patients were extracted from our electronic medical record system and, in addition, families were contacted and medical records requested from referring hospitals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pregnancies with one or more surviving infants after FLOC treatment categorized according to stage of TTTS. RESULTS: In 75% of pregnancies, one or more infant was born alive. At stage I, both infants survived in one pregnancy and one survived in the second. There was no significant difference between cases at stage II or III, i.e. 73 vs. 78% of pregnancies resulted in one or more surviving infant. At stage IV, 66% of pregnancies ended with one or more surviving infant. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of TTTS is feasible in a rather small country like Sweden, with comparable results to other centers. There are strong arguments for centralization and further improvement of this kind of highly specialized treatment.

Is screening for vesicoureteral reflux mandatory in infants with antenatal renal pelvis dilatation?

AIM: To determine whether postnatal ultrasound (US) can guide the use of voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) in infants with antenatally detected renal pelvis dilatation (ARPD). METHODS: 14,000 pregnant women consecutively underwent routine US examination during the second trimester. US examinations later in pregnancy were performed as follow-up of previous anomalies or on obstetrical indications. One hundred and six fetuses with ARPD > or =5 mm were identified. Two postnatal US examinations were performed in the newborns: on the 5th to 7th day and during the 3rd week of life. The findings were considered normal when renal pelvis dilatation (RPD) was < or =7 mm on both US examinations, and no calyceal or ureteric dilatation or signs of renal dysplasia or other anomalies were present. VCUG was done 6 to 8 wk after birth. RESULTS: In 53 of 103 analysable infants, the postnatal ultrasonographic findings were normal. The VCUG was abnormal in three of these 53 infants, all with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) grade I. Of 50 infants who had abnormal US examinations, six had VUR, four of which were grade IV and V reflux. CONCLUSION: In infants with ARPD who undergo two postnatal US examinations with RPD < or =7 mm and have no other abnormalities, VCUG is unnecessary.