CSF shunting in myelomeningocele-related hydrocephalus and the role of prenatal imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Hydrocephalus is commonly associated with myelomeningocele (MMC). Indication and timing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting are still a topic of discussion. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the analysis of prenatal cerebral imaging studies could provide information that is predictive of the necessity of CSF shunting in the postnatal period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Among 73 infants operated on because of MMC between January 2003 and June 2020, 50 had undergone prenatal and postnatal MRI studies and were considered for analysis. For each patient, frontal horn width, atrial ventricle diameter, third ventricle diameter, and subarachnoid spaces (sinocortical width, craniocortical width, and the interhemispheric width) have been measured on prenatal, postnatal, and a follow-up MRI study. The need of CSF shunting device placement in relation to prenatal and early postnatal MRI data was investigated. RESULTS: Of the 50 infants, 31 (62%) developed a progressive hydrocephalus. Of these, 30 needed a CSF shunt and the majority of them (n=29) was operated on within 28 days after birth. One patient needed CSF shunt implantation at 45 days after birth and one child developed a late progressive hydrocephalus, successfully treated by ETV alone, at 14.2 months of age. All patients with an atrial ventricle diameter greater than 1.9 cm and a 3rd ventricle diameter larger than 0.3 cm on antenatal third trimester imaging have undergone CSF shunting within 1 month after birth. Conversely, all the children that did not undergo a CSF shunt placement showed an atrial cerebral ventricle diameter inferior to 1.2 cm and a 3rd ventricle width < 0.3 cm on antenatal imaging. Frontal horn width and subarachnoid CSF spaces' evolution did not seem to play a role. CONCLUSION: The prenatal MRI assessment of the associated prenatal ventriculomegaly in MMC provides parameters that have a predictive value heralding the probability of a CSF diversion procedure after birth. In the same way, the analysis of intrauterine MRI studies may identify those subjects that are less at risk of developing a progressive hydrocephalus after birth, therefore encouraging a more cautious attitude towards the early implantation of CSF shunting devices in the current clinical practice.

Triple serum tests screening for Down's syndrome in women at second trimester: a meta analysis / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective To explore the value of maternal serum triple markers screening,consisted of AFP (α-fetal protein),β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and free estriol (uE3),for Down's syndrome,in second trimester.Methods We searched published literatures from PubMed,MEDLINE,China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) and Wanfang Database from January 1990 to August 2014 and articles met the following criteria were collected:(1) The report was of a screening test;(2) The research purpose was to study the efficiency ofAFP,hCG and uE3 (triple markers) screening for Down's syndrome;(3) The research subjects were pregnant women in second trimester;(4) All of the studied cases were confirmed by amniocentesis and chromosome karyotyping;(5) The pregnant outcomes must be available;(6) Each report should have at least one case of Down's syndrome identified;(7) The literature could be retrieved by Science Citation Index or Chinese core periodicals;(8) When assessed by QUADAS (quality assessment of studies of diagnostic accuracy included in systematic reviews) Quality Assessment Scale,the score should be ≥ 8.Information were extracted,including name of the first author,publication time,sample size,sensitivity,specificity,maternal age,gestational age,cutoff value,β-hCG type and others.MetaDiSc 1.4 software was applied for meta-analysis.I2 was used for heterogeneity,and the fixed or random effects model for calculation of the combined sensitivity,specificity,diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and the 95％CI.The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was drawn.Deek's test in Stata Software was used to validate publication bias.Results A total of 49 literatures were recruited in this study with a total sample size of 960 245.Deck's funnel plot analysis showed that the correlation coefficient and the standard error of bias were-1.067 and 3.64 (t=-0.290,P=0.771).The correlation coefficient and the standard error of the slope were 3.578 and 0.26 (t=13.740,P=0.000).The random effects model showed the pooled sensitivity of the 49 literatures was 0.72 (95％CI:0.70 0.74),the pooled specificity was 0.92 (95％CI:0.92-0.93),and DOR was 33.80 (95％CI:25.03-45.65).The area under the SROC was 0.900 7.DOR of younger age group (including three literatures) was 14.38 (95％CI:3.67-56.42) and 26.64 (95％CI:19.49-36.41) for the older age group (two literatures).For two literatures determining the gestational age based on ultrasonography,the DOR was 50.22 (95％CI:26.91-93.71),and DOR was 33.09 (95％CI:17.33-63.19) for those based on last menstrual period in these two literatures.For eight literatures applied the cutoff value of 1:270,12 applied 1:250 and four applied mixed cutoff value,the DOR was 10.94 (95％CI:3.04-39.38),54.34 (95％CI:42.19-70.01) and 36.37 (95％CI:31.19-42.40),respectively.DOR of total β-hCG group (12 literatures) was 22.06 (95％CI:16.46-29.58) and that of free β-hCG group (ten literatures) was 37.15 (95％CI:30.00-46.02).Conclusions Triple regimen of second trimester maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome is much more efficient.The detection rate could be further improved by determination of the gestational age with ultrasound,and application of 1:250 as the risk cutoff value and free β hCG as a screening marker.

Prenatal diagnosis of left pulmonary artery-to-pulmonary vein fistula and its successful surgical repair in a neonate.

Pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is a rare disease. To the best of our knowledge, prenatal diagnosis of a fistula between the left pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary vein has not been described in the medical literature. We report a case of the prenatal diagnosis of a left pulmonary artery-to-pulmonary vein fistula, followed by successful neonatal surgical repair.

Marcadores ecográficos de corioamnionitis e infección fetal in utero. Revisión de la literatura / Ultrasound markers for chorioamnionitis and in utero fetal infection: a literature review

Introducción: el diagnóstico de corioamnionitis se basa en criterios clínicos que no alcanzan una sensibilidad mayor al 60%, y que tienen poca utilidad para predecir el compromiso fetal. El ultrasonido surge como una alternativa útil en el diagnóstico. Al mejorar el diagnóstico con la búsqueda de marcadores ecográficos de infección fetal podemos impactar en la morbimortalidad perinatal al poder intervenir de forma temprana a las gestantes en riesgo de compromiso fetal, especialmente corioamnionitis con curso subclínico. El objetivo de esta revisión es conocer la evidencia que soporta la asociación entre los hallazgos ecográficos del ultrasonido y la presencia de corioamnionitis e infección fetal in utero. Materiales y métodos: se realizó una revisión de la literatura existente en las bases de datos medline, ovid, ebsco, ProQuest, lilacs, SciELO desde enero de 1985 hasta octubre de 2012. Se incluyeron los artículos de revisión e investigaciones originales.Resultados: en las gestantes con parto pretérmino y ruptura prematura de membranas ovulares el acortamiento cervical, la presencia de "sludge", el oligohidramnios y la involución del timo son los marcadores que han mostrado mayor asociación con infección amniótica.Conclusiones: el ultrasonido es una herramienta por considerar en el diagnóstico de infección materna y fetal in utero.

Introduction: A diagnosis of chorioamnionitis is based on clinical criteria which only manage 60% sensitivity and have little usefulness in predicting fetal compromise. Ultrasound emerges as a useful diagnostic alternative. An impact might be made on perinatal morbimortality by improving diagnosis through the search for echographic markers of fetal infection, thereby enabling early intervention in pregnant women at risk of fetal compromise, especially regarding subclinical chorioamnionitis. This review was aimed at providing evidence supporting an association between ultrasound’s echographic findings and the presence of chorioamnionitis in in utero (congenital) fetal infection.Materials and methods: A review of the existing literature was made in medline, ovid, ebsco, ProQuest, lilacs and scielo databases from January 1985 to October 2012. Original research and review articles were included. Results: Cervical length shortening, the presence of sludge, oligohydramnios and thymus involution are the markers which have been shown to have the greatest association with intra-amniotic infection.Conclusions: Ultrasound is a tool to be considered when diagnosing in utero maternal and fetal infection.