Magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of abnormal placental cord insertions.

INTRODUCTION: Abnormal placental cord insertions (APCIs) are significant risk factors for pregnancy complications, encompassing marginal cord insertion (MCI), velamentous cord insertion (VCI), and vasa previa (VP). While ultrasound is the primary imaging modality, its accuracy can be limited by factors such as maternal obesity and fetal positioning. Complementary to ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a more precise visualization of the fetus, placenta, and umbilical cord relationships. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for APCIs compared with prenatal ultrasound. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 613 patients who underwent prenatal placental ultrasound and MRI. Of those who were confirmed as APCIs through surgery or pathology, the prenatal MRI features were compared with prenatal ultrasound. The diagnostic efficacy of prenatal MRI and ultrasound for APCIs was assessed based on the clinicopathological findings. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were confirmed as APCIs by surgery or pathology, comprising 31 marginal cord insertions (MCIs), 18 velamentous cord insertions (VCIs), 5 vasa previa (VP) cases, and 2 VCI cases combined with VP. Ultrasound examination showed 55.36 % sensitivity (31/56) and 98.38 % specificity (486/494) in diagnosing APCIs, whereas MRI demonstrated 87.50 % sensitivity (49/56) and 98.88 % specificity (531/537). CONCLUSION: For APCIs complicated by placental location or morphological abnormalities, MRI demonstrates superior diagnostic efficacy compared to ultrasound in late pregnancy.

Persistent omphalomesenteric duct in an infant with trisomy 21.

We present the case of a term newborn with trisomy 21 who presented to the paediatric emergency department with periumbilical flare and green-brown discharge from a clamped umbilical cord, initially suspected to be omphalitis. However, it was noticed later, that when the infant strained or cried, a thick, bubbling and offensive green-brown discharge came out of the clamped umbilical cord with umbilical flatus. An ultrasound abdomen and umbilical cord confirmed the presence of a persistent omphalomesenteric duct (POMD). He was then transferred to the paediatric surgical unit. There, he underwent a laparotomy and surgical resection of the POMD and was discharged home 2 days later.

Heterotopic Liver Nodule Compressing a Two-Vessel Umbilical Cord: An Unusual Cause of Intrauterine Fetal Demise.

Heterotopic liver tissue in the umbilical cord is rare, and the outcome is quite unpredictable based on the few reported cases. We present a case of heterotopic liver nodule in the umbilical cord of a midtrimester fetus who died in utero. Although such association has only been reported once, heterotopic nodular tissue in the umbilical cord must be regarded as a potential cause of fetal demise by a mechanism analogous to the more common umbilical cord abnormalities resulting in umbilical vessel compromise.

10 cases of umbilical cord thrombosis in the third trimester.

BACKGROUND: Thrombosis of umbilical vessels is a rare occurrence that is difficult to detect during routine antenatal examinations but can lead to poor perinatal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the association between meaningful clinical manifestations and features associated with thrombosis of umbilical vessels, and to evaluate optimal management options. METHODS: A retrospective study of umbilical cord thrombi cases enrolled between 2015-2019 was carried out. Data were analyzed from the medical archives where the diagnosis of all cases was established by histopathology. RESULTS: Gross examination reported additional cord abnormalities (7/10), including the irregular length of the umbilical cord, narrowed cord with hyper-coiling, swollen cord with deficiency of Wharton's jelly, placenta velamentous and umbilical infarction. Pathological examination accounted for 10 cases of umbilical cord thrombosis including umbilical artery embolism (3/10), umbilical vein thrombi (5/10) and funisitis (2/10). Clinical findings depicted that the chief complaint was decreased fetal movement companied by nonreactive NST tests (5/10). With the exception of two stillbirths, the remaining pregnancies (8/10) were terminated by cesarean section. All neonates are alive, including one VLBW and three LBW cases. CONCLUSION: We have observed that umbilical structural dysplasia, maternal coagulation disorder, vascular endothelial injury and elevated blood glucose may lead to the formation of thrombosis. Focus on specific signs during a prenatal ultrasound, EFM monitoring and counting fetal movements can help in early identification of umbilical cord thrombi. Our results support the more effective approach of emergency cesarean section during the third trimester.

Two case reports: Early detection of amniotic band syndrome by adhesion between hand and umbilical cord at 11 to 14 weeks' gestation.

RATIONALE: The significant ultrasonic characteristics of amniotic band syndrome (ABS) are the malformations of fetal affected parts and the band-like echoes in amniotic cavity. This article first suggests that the fetal hand adhered to umbilical cord with restricted movement provides some values in the diagnosis of ABS in early gestational weeks especially when the fetal malformation is not obvious and amniotic band is thin and fine. PATIENT CONCERNS: Two pregnant women had no discomfort and underwent routine ultrasound examination at 11 to 14 gestational weeks. DIAGNOSIS: Only the fetal hand adhered to umbilical cord with restricted movement was detected during the first ultrasound examination at 11∼14 gestational weeks, and the floating band-like echos were detected in the amniotic cavity with follow-up examinations 2 to 3 weeks later. Both of the 2 fetus were diagnosed as ABS by ultrasound INTERVENTIONS:: The two pregnant women underwent the prenatal counseling and were recommended closely follow-up and further examination. OUTCOMES: Two fetuses died in utero between 17 and 19 weeks. After induction of labor, it was found that the hands and umbilical cord of the fetuses were wrapped by amniotic bands, which was proved pathologically as ABS. LESSONS: The adhesion of the fetal hand and umbilical cord is an important ultrasonic sign suggesting ABS with poor prognosis in early pregnancy. We hope that this study can provide some guidance for the early diagnosis of ABS during 11 to 14 week's ultrasound examination.

What you need to know about maternal-fetal medicine.

The field of pediatric Surgery now encompasses fetal Surgery. The purpose of this article is to review aspects of antepartum care pertinent to the fetal and pediatric surgeon. We summarize antepartum screening, methods to assess the fetus, gestational disorders and variants of umbilical cord insertion sites and the placenta.

Umbilical cord anomalies: antenatal ultrasound findings and postnatal correlation.

Umbilical cord anomalies are rare. The differential diagnosis for a cystic structure around the umbilical cord and its insertion include pseudocyst, omphalomesenteric duct cyst, haemangioma, omphalocele or anterior abdominal wall defects. Although cord anomalies can be detected through antenatal ultrasound scans (US), very often a definitive diagnosis cannot be made. This may affect the management of the infant at birth. In cases where antenatal US was not diagnostic, current evidence supports the use of MRI to help in making an accurate diagnosis. We report two cases of umbilical cord anomalies. The first case was diagnosed in antenatal US as an omphalocele, but was found to be an allantoic cyst with hamartoma on postnatal diagnosis. The second case was not detected on antenatal US, and was diagnosed postnatally as a small omphalocele with vitellointestinal duct remnants.

Disorders of the Umbilical Cord.

The umbilical cord, a vital conduit between the placenta and the fetus, loses much of its significance after birth. However, newborns can often present with various abnormalities of the umbilicus, such as benign granulomas or more serious lesions due to persistent remnants, many of which can change the normal course of cord separation and may be associated with significant morbidities if left unrecognized and uncorrected. Although not uncommon, sanguineous drainage from the umbilical stump can be quite alarming to new parents. Parental counseling regarding normal umbilical cord changes, as well as abnormal findings, such as discharge and skin changes, are important for the recognition and timely treatment of potentially significant umbilical cord disorders.

Dichorionic twins discordant for body-stalk anomaly: a management challenge.

Body-stalk anomaly is a sporadic and rare maldevelopment disorder characterised by large abdominal wall defect, spinal deformity and rudimentary umbilical cord. It is considered a lethal condition as there are only few reports of survival but there was at least one case of long-term survival after neonatal surgery.Differential diagnosis includes isolated omphalocele or gastroschisis, short umbilical cord, amniotic band, limb body-wall complex and other polymalformative syndromes.There are few reports about the expectant prenatal management of the body stalk anomaly as the majority of prenatal diagnosed cases undergo early elective termination. Twin pregnancies discordant for the anomaly represent a challenge to prenatal management as a healthy fetus should also be considered.We describe a case of dichorionic-diamniotic twins discordant for body stalk anomaly which underwent selective feticide of the affected fetus late in pregnancy, in accordance with parents' decision focused on the neonatal well-being of the unaffected twin.

Giant umbilical cord and hypoglycemia in an infant with Proteus syndrome.

Proteus syndrome (PS) is characterized by the progressive, segmental, or patchy overgrowth of the skin, and other tissues. This is the first case report of recurrent severe insulin-independent hypoglycemia in an infant with PS. Somatic p.E17K of AKT1 mutation was confirmed. The patient also had a giant umbilical cord, which has not yet been reported in PS.

Three-dimensional HDlive imaging of an umbilical cord cyst.

Umbilical cord cysts (UCC) are a rare congenital malformation. Previous reports have suggested that the second- and third-trimester UCC may be associated with other structural anomalies or chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, high-quality imaging is clinically important for the antenatal diagnosis of UCC and to conduct a precise anatomical survey of intrauterine abnormalities. There have been few reports of antenatal diagnosis of UCC with the conventional two- and three-dimensional ultrasonography. In this report, we demonstrate the novel visual depiction of UCC in utero with three-dimensional HDlive imaging, which helps substantially with prenatal diagnosis. A case with an abnormal placental mass at 16 weeks and 5 days of gestation was observed in detail using HDlive. HDlive revealed very realistic images of the intrauterine abnormality: the oval lesion was smooth with regular contours and a homogenous wall at the site of cord insertion on the placenta. In addition, we confirmed the absent of umbilical cord, placental, and fetal structural anomalies. Here, we report a case wherein HDlive may have provided clinically valuable information for prenatal diagnosis of UCC and offered a potential advantage relative to the conventional US.

Complex malformations involving the fetal body wall - definition and classification issues.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to analyse the sonographic features, cytogenetic results and pregnancy outcomes in complex malformations involving the body wall in a large cohort of fetuses with regard to different definitions proposed in the literature. METHOD: A retrospective study on 96 fetuses with complex malformations comprising ventral wall, craniofacial structures, limbs and umbilical cord that were evaluated between 1997 and 2015. RESULTS: The most common sonographic finding was an extensive ventral wall defect (95.8%; 92/96) comprising liver (94.6%; 87/92), intestine (82.6%; 76/92), heart (17.4%; 16/92) and bladder (8.7%; 8/92). Acrania and encephalocoele were observed in 24 and 9 fetuses (25.0%, 24/96; 9.4%, 9/96), respectively. Limb anomalies were present in 54 fetuses (56.3%; 54/96). Rudimentary or absent umbilical cord was observed in 62 fetuses (64.6%; 62/96). In 79 fetuses, there were additional multiple structural anomalies detected prenatally. None of the currently used definitions encompasses all possible phenotypes of body wall defects present in our cohort. Chromosomal aberrations were seen in 8 out of 60 cases with conclusive cytogenetic result (13.3%, 8/60). CONCLUSION: Chromosomal anomalies are common, and karyotyping should be offered. There is a need for a more rigorous classification of complex malformations in order to better understand the underlying pathophysiology. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Familial Apple Peel Jejunal Atresia with Helical Umbilical Cord Ulcerations in Three Consecutive Pregnancies.

Apple peel deformity is a rare form of upper intestinal atresia of unknown etiology. Umbilical cord ulcers can occur secondary to reflux of gastric juice and bile as a result of the atresia and can cause lethal intrauterine hemorrhage. The authors report 3 instances of congenital apple peel jejunal atresia with helical umbilical cord ulcers afflicting all female offspring in consecutive pregnancies in a single nonconsanguineous family. There was no hemorrhage from the cord ulcers, but all 3 pregnancies resulted in perinatal death. Although familial occurrence is known, our case series is probably the 1st from the Indian subcontinent and warrants further research into the genetic mechanisms and possible ethnic differences of congenital upper intestinal atresia. The causation of sudden fetal demise in the absence of antecedent cord hemorrhage remains elusive.

Anomalies of the placenta and umbilical cord in twin gestations.

The frequency of twin gestations has increased over the last few decades, mainly due to maternal age at childbearing, and the use of assisted reproductive technologies. Twins are at higher risk of aneuploidy, structural anomalies, and placental abnormalities. Some of the placental and umbilical cord abnormalities found in twin gestations are nonspecific and can be found in singleton gestations (ie, placenta previa, placental abruption, single umbilical artery, velamentous cord insertion, vasa previa, etc). However, other anomalies are unique to twin gestations, and are mainly associated with monochorionic twins-these include intraplacental anastomosis and cord entanglement. Most of these conditions can be diagnosed with ultrasound. An accurate and early diagnosis is important in the management of twin gestations. Determination of chorionicity, amnionicity, and the identification of placental anomalies are key issues for the adequate management of twin pregnancies. Pathologic placental examination after delivery can help in assessing the presence of placental and umbilical cord abnormalities, as well as providing information about chorionicity and gaining insight into the potential mechanisms of disease affecting twin gestations.

Congenital hernia of the umbilical cord associated with extracelomic colonic atresia and perforation of gut in a newborn.

Congenital hernia of the umbilical cord (CHUC) is a rare congenital entity compared to more common post-natally occurring umbilical hernia. Although recognized as a distinct entity since 1920s, CHUC is often misdiagnosed as a small omphalocele, resulting in its underreporting. We present the first case report of CHUC associated with extracelomic colonic atresia, complicated by perinatal perforation in a newborn. We also discuss the differentiating features from other anterior abdominal wall defects such as omphalocele and gastroschisis including its embryogenesis.

Comprehensive imaging review of abnormalities of the umbilical cord.

A complete fetal ultrasonographic (US) study includes assessment of the umbilical cord for possible abnormalities. Knowledge of the normal appearance of the umbilical cord is necessary for the radiologist to correctly diagnose pathologic conditions. Umbilical cord abnormalities can be related to cord coiling, length, and thickness; the placental insertion site; in utero distortion; vascular abnormalities; and primary tumors or masses. These conditions may be associated with other fetal anomalies and aneuploidies, and their discovery should prompt a thorough fetal US examination. Further workup and planning for a safe fetal delivery may include fetal echocardiography and karyotype analysis. Doppler US is a critical tool for assessment and diagnosis of vascular cord abnormalities. US also can be used for follow-up serial imaging evaluation of conditions that could result in fetal demise. Recent studies suggest that three- or four-dimensional Doppler US of the fetal umbilical cord and abdominal vasculature allows more accurate diagnosis of vascular abnormalities. Doppler US also is invaluable in assessment of fetal growth restriction since hemodynamic changes in the placenta or fetus would appear as a spectral pattern of increased resistance to forward flow in the fetal umbilical artery. Early detection of umbilical cord abnormalities and close follow-up can reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality and assist in decision making.

Intra-abdominal inverted umblical cord in gastroschisis: a unique ultrasound finding.

A relatively new surgical technique allows for sutureless closure of a gastroschisis defect. Immediately after birth, a long umbilical cord stump is temporarily inverted into the abdominal cavity and later retracted and used to close the abdominal wall defect. Knowledge of this entity is important since the inverted umbilical cord simulates an intra-abdominal mass on cross-sectional imaging. While this procedure is well described in the surgical literature, the imaging features of inverted umbilical cord have yet to be reported. The case presented here highlights the sonographic imaging findings of the umbilical cord during the intestinal decompression phase of sutureless repair of gastroschisis.

Risk factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes among births affected by velamentous umbilical cord insertion: a retrospective population-based register study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors associated with velamentous cord insertion (VCI) and to evaluate the association between adverse pregnancy outcomes and VCI in singleton pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: The total population of women (n=26,849) with singleton pregnancies delivered in Kuopio University Hospital during the study period between 2000 and 2011 was reviewed. Risk factors and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (admission to a neonatal unit, fetal death, preterm delivery, low birth weight (LBW< 2500 g), the infant being small for its gestation age (SGA), low Apgar scores (<7) at 1 and 5 min and fetal venous pH<7.15) were evaluated separately among women with and without VCI by means of logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The incidence of VCI among women with singleton pregnancies was 2.4% (n=633 of 26,849). Independent risk factors for VCI were nulliparity, obesity, fertility problems, placenta previa and maternal smoking. VCI was associated with a 1.38-, 2.01-, 3.93- and 1.39-fold increased risk of admission to a neonatal unit, preterm delivery (<37 gestation weeks), LBW and SGA, respectively compared to pregnancies involving normal cord insertion. Of the women with VCI, 15.3% underwent non-elective cesarean section compared to 8.3% (p ≤ 0.001) of women without VCI. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the incidence of VCI increases along with an increase in fertility problems and maternal obesity. VCI is a moderate risk condition increasing the risks of prematurity and impaired fetal growth.