Neonatal Outcome in Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Not Treated with Fetoscopic Laser Surgery.

The aim of this study was to describe the neonatal management and outcome in monochorionic twins with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) not treated with fetoscopic laser surgery. All consecutive live-born neonates with TTTS managed at our center between 2002 and 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Neonatal outcome was assessed in 44 twin pairs with TTTS not treated with laser (nonlaser group) compared to a control group of 88 twin pairs with TTTS successfully treated with laser (laser group), matched for gestational age at birth. Primary outcome was adverse neonatal outcome, a composite outcome including neonatal mortality or severe neonatal morbidity. The incidence of adverse neonatal outcome in the nonlaser group and laser group was 30% (26/88) and 11% (19/176), respectively (relative risk = 3.46, 95% CI [1.79, 6.71]). In the nonlaser group, 11% had necrotizing enterocolitis (vs. 2% in the laser group) and 24% had hypotension (vs. 10% in the laser group). Recipients in the nonlaser group had, compared to recipients in the laser group, significantly more severe cerebral injury (18% vs. 5%) and more polycythemia at birth (21% vs. 1%). Donors in the nonlaser group had, compared to donors in the laser group, more severe growth restriction (71% vs 42%), renal failure (11% vs 1%), and anemia at birth (25% vs. 7%). Thus, the risk for neonatal mortality and/or severe morbidity is three-fold higher in TTTS not treated with laser than in TTTS treated with laser, which highlights the fact that these neonates with TTTS are very sick at birth, requiring accurate and prompt intensive treatment.

Necrotizing enterocolitis in haemolytic disease of the newborn: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common and often severe gastrointestinal emergency in newborn infants. While usually affecting (very) premature infants, an association between NEC and haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN) has been suggested. HDFN may be an additional risk factor to develop NEC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of NEC in infants affected with moderate to severe HDFN in a large single centre cohort as compared to a broad population of infants without HDFN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of medical records of neonates with and without HDFN, with a gestational age at birth ≥30 weeks and ≤38 weeks, and admitted to the Leiden University Medical Center between January 2000 and December 2016. RESULTS: A total of 3284 patient records of infants born in the study period were reviewed and 317 cases of HDFN were identified. The incidence of NEC was significantly higher among infants with HDFN compared to infants without HDFN: 4/317 affected infants (1·3%) vs. 11/2967 affected infants (0·4%, relative risk 3·40, 95% confidence interval: 1·09-10·63). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a higher incidence of NEC in an overall late preterm to near term population of infants with moderate to severe HDFN, compared to infants born without HDFN. The clinician taking care of an HDFN-affected infant should be cautious of this higher risk.