Lung to thorax transverse area ratio as a predictor of neurodevelopmental outcomes in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

INTRODUCTION: Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are at risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the association between lung to thorax transverse area ratio (LTR) and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 3 years of age in fetuses with CDH. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of infants with prenatally diagnosed isolated left-sided CDH born in Kyushu University Hospital between 2008 and 2016. We examined the association between prenatal ultrasound findings including LTR and development quotient (DQ) at 36 to 42 months of chronological age. RESULTS: We identified 34 live-born fetuses with isolated left-sided CDH, of which 30 survived and four died before discharge. The median LTR in the survivors was higher than in the non-survivors (p < 0.01). Among the survivors, 26 had available data on LTR (median 0.12, range 0.08-0.18) and overall DQ at 3 years of age (93, 61-112). Their median gestational age and birth weight were 37.6 (range 34.4-39.1) weeks and 2716 (2.256-3494) grams, respectively. There was no significant difference in overall DQ scores between the two groups divided according to the median LTR values (p = 0.62). LTR values were not associated with overall DQ scores after adjusting for gestational age (p = 0.39). In addition, no association was observed between LTR values and any subscale DQ scores. CONCLUSION: In fetuses with isolated left-sided CDH, prenatal LTR predicts the mortality but not neurodevelopmental outcomes at 3 years of age.

Evaluation of the efficacy of vaginal progesterone in preventing preterm birth after abdominal trachelectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether vaginal progesterone (VP) reduces the rate of preterm birth in pregnant women after abdominal trachelectomy (AT) for early-stage cervical cancer STUDY DESIGN: This is an interventional study with a historical cohort. For the interventional study participants who had singleton pregnancies after AT between October 2016 and September 2020, the administration of vaginal progesterone was started between 16+ and 19+6 weeks of gestation and discontinued at 34 weeks of gestation or at the time of delivery, rupture of membranes, or massive uterine bleeding. We investigated obstetric and neonatal outcomes among the study participants and compared them with outcomes of the historical control group participants, included women with singleton pregnancies after AT who were managed without VP at our institution between January 2007 and September 2016, using Fisher's exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test The main outcomes were the gestational age at delivery and incidence of preterm birth before 37 weeks and 34 weeks of gestation. RESULT: Twelve pregnancies in ten women were included in the VP group. In contrast, 19 pregnancies in 17 women were included in the historical control group. The incidence of preterm birth at <37 weeks was 10/12 (83 %) in the VP group and 11/19 (58 %) in the control group. The incidence of preterm birth at <34 weeks was 6/12 (50 %) in the VP group and 9/19 (48 %) in the control group. The incidence of preterm birth in the two groups was similar, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The administration of vaginal progesterone did not reduce the rate of preterm birth among pregnant women after AT.

Intrathoracic shunt displacement with massive pleural effusion after successful shunt placement in a hydropic fetus with multilocular macrocystic congenital pulmonary airway malformation.

We successfully performed shunting for a fetus with a multilocular macrocystic lung mass with hydrops at 22 weeks' gestation. Complete resolution of hydrops was achieved; however, at 35 weeks' gestation, the fetus developed acute massive pleural effusion. Fetal ultrasound examination revealed that one end of the shunting tube had migrated downward in the thoracic cavity, which led to fluid draining from the lung cyst. The baby was delivered at term and was discharged following neonatal intensive care management. Intrathoracic displacement of the shunt can occur, followed by massive pleural effusion due to drainage of cystic fluid.

Massive atonic bleeding during cesarean delivery in a patient with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction: A case report and literature review.

A 35-year-old primigravid woman with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction presented to our institution. Except for an enlarged fetal bladder, her pregnancy was almost uneventful until she developed pre-eclampsia requiring emergent cesarean section at 34 weeks gestation. After delivery, intractable uterine atony developed with blood loss reaching 3500 mL within 15 min. Following a B-Lynch suture, the bleeding attenuated but uterine atony persisted; lochia persisted for 3 months post-partum. The infant was diagnosed with megacystis microcolon intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome after birth. The mother's clinical course and previous reports suggested that atonic bleeding was associated with the pathology of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction; the infant's disease was considered to be maternal-related disease. Clinicians should be vigilant in pregnant patients with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction especially with these complications.

The impact of general anesthesia on mother-infant bonding for puerperants who undergo emergency cesarean deliveries.

Background Mother-infant bonding is an emerging perinatal issue. While emergency cesarean deliveries are associated with a risk of bonding disorders, the mode of anesthesia used for emergency cesarean deliveries has never been studied in this context. We aimed to investigate the impact of administering general anesthesia and neuraxial anesthesia to women undergoing cesarean deliveries on mother-infant bonding. Methods This was a retrospective, propensity score-matched multivariable analysis of 457 patients who underwent emergency cesarean deliveries between February 2016 and January 2019 at a single teaching hospital in Japan. The Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) scores at hospital discharge and the 1-month postpartum outpatient visit were evaluated in the general anesthesia and the neuraxial anesthesia groups. A high score on the MIBS indicates impaired mother-infant bonding. Results The primary outcome was the MIBS score at hospital discharge in propensity score-matched women. After propensity score matching, the median [interquartile range (IQR)] MIBS scores were significantly higher in the general anesthesia group than those in the neuraxial anesthesia group at hospital discharge [2 (1-4) vs. 2 (0-2); P = 0.015] and at the 1-month postpartum outpatient visit [1 (1-3) vs. 1 (0-2); P = 0.046]. In linear regression analysis of matched populations, general anesthesia showed a significant and positive association with the MIBS scores at hospital discharge [beta coefficient 0.867 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.147-1.59); P = 0.019] but not at the 1-month postpartum outpatient visit [0.455 (-0.134 to 1.044); P = 0.129]. Conclusion General anesthesia for emergency cesarean delivery is an independent risk factor associated with impaired mother-infant bonding.

Pregnancy managed by unfractionated heparin after mechanical aortic valve replacement.

Pregnancy after mechanical valve replacement involves high risk. Maternal valve thrombosis and hemorrhagic complications are associated with lethal outcomes; therefore, strict anticoagulant therapy is needed. Our patient was 26-year-old primiparous woman. She had undergone aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve at 4 years of age and had used warfarin 3 mg per day since then. Because of her desire for a baby, she stopped warfarin and conceived spontaneously. She was referred to our hospital. After being informed of her choices, unfractionated heparin (UFH) administration was started. She experienced mild heart failure with sacroiliitis, bacteremia, and hematuria during pregnancy. She delivered her newborn at 37 weeks. Blood loss at delivery was 220 g. Administration of UFH was restarted 4 h after delivery and 3 mg of warfarin was administered from postpartum day (PPD) 6. Hemostatic suturing was required for vaginal bleeding on PPD7. A therapeutic dose of warfarin was achieved on PPD9. Although warfarin use is recommended as anticoagulant therapy for pregnant woman with mechanical valves, the safety and efficacy of UFH have not yet been clarified because of its limited use. More cases are needed to clarify this.

Twin pregnancy complicated by total placenta previa in a Fontan-palliated patient: A case report.

We present a case of a twin pregnancy in a Fontan-palliated woman that was complicated by total placenta previa. The patient was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia type II, and underwent the Fontan operation at 11 years of age. At 32 years of age, she was shown to have a dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy. A placenta previa was also noted. At 26 weeks' gestation, she had difficulty breathing, cardiomegaly, and worsening mitral regurgitation. At 29 weeks' gestation, an emergency cesarean section was performed, as the patient had massive genital bleeding. A postoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated a leak from the lateral tunnel to the atrium, which was considered a cause of hypoxemia during the peripartum period. The cardiac workload in a twin pregnancy is greater, which places a Fontan-palliated patient at increased risk. Careful follow-up monitoring with multidisciplinary expertise is recommended.

Expectant management of pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction without any evidence of placental dysfunction at term: Comparison with routine labor induction.

AIM: To assess the feasibility and practicality of expectant management for pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR) at term without evidence of placental dysfunction. METHODS: We reviewed the records of pregnancies with an estimated fetal weight ≤ 1.5 SD below the mean at 37 weeks of gestation. We excluded elective cesarean deliveries and pregnancies that, at 37 weeks, were complicated by oligohydramnios, decreased fetal cerebroplacental ratio, or pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders. Prior to May 2013, we performed routine labor induction for FGR at term; after that time, we used routine expectant management. The rate of delivery by cesarean or instrumental assist and the rate of neonatal morbidity were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The gestational age at delivery and the neonatal birthweight were higher in the expectant management policy group (39+4 vs 38+1 weeks; 2405 vs 2205 g). The cesarean rate (7/77 vs 7/73) and the instrumental delivery rate (5/77 vs 6/73) did not differ. Neonatal hypoglycemia and hyperbilirubinemia were significantly less frequent (10/77 vs 21/73; 7/77 vs 20/73) in the expectant management policy group. Seven patients in the expectant management policy group underwent emergency cesarean delivery; five of these (71%) had required labor induction because of progression to oligohydramnios. CONCLUSIONS: Expectant management policy for FGR at term can reduce neonatal morbidity without increasing maternal risk or the cesarean rate. Caution should be used, however, during labor if oligohydramnios develops during expectant management.

Re-evaluation of lung to thorax transverse area ratio immediately before birth in predicting postnatal short-term outcomes of fetuses with isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: A single center analysis.

We aimed to investigate whether the lung-to-thorax transverse area ratio (LTR) immediately before birth is of diagnostic value for the prediction of postnatal short-term outcomes in cases of isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). We retrospectively reviewed the cases of fetal isolated left-sided CDH managed at our institution between April 2008 and July 2016. We divided the patients into two groups based on LTR immediately before birth, using a cut-off value of 0.08. We compared the proportions of subjects within the two groups who survived until discharge using Fisher's exact test. Further, using Spearman's rank correlation, we assessed whether LTR was correlated with length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and supplemental oxygen. Twenty-nine subjects were included (five with LTR < 0.08, and 24 with LTR ≥ 0.08). The proportion of subjects surviving until discharge was 40% (2/5) for patients with LTR < 0.08, as compared with 96% (23/24) for those with LTR ≥ 0.08. LTR measured immediately before birth was negatively correlated with the postnatal length of stay (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, rs = -0.486), and the duration of supplemental oxygen (rs = -0.537). Further, the duration of mechanical ventilation was longer in patients with a lower LTR value. LTR immediately before birth is useful for the prediction of postnatal short-term outcomes in fetuses with isolated left-sided CDH. In particular, patients with prenatal LTR value less than 0.08 are at increased risk of postnatal death.

Efficacy of an Emergency Cervical Cerclage Using Absorbable Monofilament Sutures.

INTRODUCTION: Although nonabsorbable woven tape has been widely used for cervical cerclage, technical difficulties that can occur with an effaced cervix because of the thickness of the tape, and the risks of local infection are two major concerns. This study investigated perinatal outcomes of pregnancies involving an emergency cervical cerclage using absorbable monofilament polydioxanone sutures, which is a narrow thread and protects against bacterial infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a chart review of patients who underwent emergency McDonald cerclage with polydioxanone sutures at our institution between 2007 and 2015. Gestational age at delivery, duration between cerclage and delivery, and neonatal prognosis were evaluated as primary outcomes. RESULTS: Among the 23 patients (18 singleton and five twin pregnancies) evaluated, ultrasound-indicated (progressive cervical length shortening) were eight (35%) and physical examination-indicated (fetal membranes that prolapsed into the vagina or dilated cervix) were 15 patients (65%). The median gestational age at cerclage was 22+3 weeks (range, 17+5 to 25+3 weeks). Postoperative spontaneous abortion occurred in only one patient. The median gestational age at delivery was 32+5 weeks (range, 20+5 to 40+6 weeks). Extremely preterm delivery before 28 weeks of gestation occurred in four (17%) cases. Full-term delivery was achieved in 10 (42%) cases. The duration between cerclage and delivery ranged from 5 to 136 days (median, 77 days). Except for one case of spontaneous abortion, all newborns survived till hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Although our series included some patients at high risk for spontaneous abortion and preterm delivery, satisfactory prolongation and favorable neonatal outcomes were achieved for most patients by using absorbable monofilament sutures, thus suggesting the efficacy of this type of suture for emergency cervical cerclage.

Thoracoamniotic shunting for fetal pleural effusion with hydropic change using a double-basket catheter: An insight into the preoperative determinants of shunting efficacy.

OBJECTIVES: Although the efficacy of thoracoamniotic shunting (TAS) for fetal hydrothorax is well-recognized, the coexistence of hydrops fetalis is still a clinical challenge. The preoperative determinants of shunting efficacy are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the perinatal and postnatal outcomes of hydrops fetalis with pleural effusion treated by TAS using a double-basket catheter, and to discuss the preoperative factors predictive of patients who will benefit from TAS. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective study in hydropic fetuses with pleural effusion treated by TAS between 2007 and 2015. We extracted information regarding postnatal survival and pretherapeutic sonographic findings, including skin-edema thickness, pleural-effusion pocket size, and Doppler readings. RESULTS: Twelve subjects underwent TAS at a median gestational age of 29+5 weeks (range, 25+5-33+2 weeks). Skin edema disappeared or regressed in 7. Three experienced early neonatal death and the other 9 ultimately survived after a live birth at a median gestational age of 33+4 weeks (range, 29+1-38+2 weeks). All surviving children, except for 1, had a pretherapeutic pleural-effusion pocket greater than the precordial-edema thickness. All 3 children that died had precordial-edema thickness equal to or greater than the size of the pleural-effusion pocket. CONCLUSIONS: We achieved a high survival rate (75%) using the double-basket technique. A greater pretherapeutic width of skin edema compared with the pleural-effusion pocket is possibly suggestive of a treatment-resistant condition and subsequent poor postnatal outcome.

Ductus venosus Doppler and the postnatal outcomes of growth restricted fetuses with absent end-diastolic blood flow in the umbilical arteries.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of growth-restricted fetuses with absent end-diastolic velocity in the umbilical arteries (UA-AEDV), and investigate the relationship between Doppler flow velocity waveforms in the ductus venosus (DV) and the clinical features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of growth-restricted fetuses diagnosed with UA-AEDV delivered at our institution between 2013 and 2015. The time from diagnosis of UA-AEDV to delivery, postnatal survival, and developmental prognoses were the primary outcomes. The time lag between the occurrence of UA-AEDV and an abnormal increase in the DV pulsatility index (DV-PI) were investigated. We also examined the correlation between the DV-PI values immediately before birth and umbilical cord arterial pH at birth. RESULTS: The median gestational age at birth among the 18 subjects was 28+2 (24+0-34+6) weeks, and the observation period between the first detection of UA-AEDV and delivery ranged from 0 to 35 days with a median of 8 days. Among the 18 infants, 15 (83%) survived, among whom 2 were diagnosed with a developmental disability. Gestational age at delivery was significantly lower in the poor outcome group. A positive correlation (correlation coefficient, 0.68) was observed between the umbilical artery pH and the last measured DV-PI. CONCLUSION: The time interval from initial detection of UA-AEDV to delivery is highly variable, and it is reasonable to manage these growth-restricted fetuses with UA-AEDV expectantly with careful surveillance for fetal well-being. Specifically, Doppler DV analysis is clinically valuable for their evaluation.

Hematoma After Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in a Patient With HELLP Syndrome: A Case Report.

We herein present a case of intramuscular hematoma that developed after transversus abdominis plane block in a patient undergoing cesarean delivery. The patient had HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) preoperatively. Ultrasonography-guided transversus abdominis plane block was performed at the end of surgery. Postoperatively, the platelet count and antithrombin III level decreased, and computed tomography revealed intramuscular hematomas that possibly were related to vascular injury and potential disseminated intravascular coagulation. We should be mindful of the possibility of intramuscular hematoma formation in patients with HELLP syndrome, even when using ultrasound guidance.

Successful ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure for prenatally diagnosed severe micrognathia: a case report.

We present a case of fetal severe micrognathia in which successful airway stabilization was achieved by an ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure. In this case, it was anticipated that the infant would have a vulnerable airway at birth based on in utero sonographic findings, including an extremely hypoplastic jaw, worsening polyhydramnios and absence of stomach visualization. Early sonographic recognition was helpful in preparing the parents and physicians for the possibility of airway emergencies during the perinatal period. When a severely hypoplastic mandible accompanied by polyhydramnios and absent stomach visualization is noted on ultrasound, clinicians should consider the indication for ex utero intrapartum treatment. A multidisciplinary team with technically skilled medical providers should be coordinated to perform the procedure.

Prenatal imaging of a fetus with the rare combination of a right congenital diaphragmatic hernia and a giant omphalocele.

A co-existing right congenital diaphragmatic hernia and omphalocele is rare. We present images of a fetus diagnosed with this rare combination of anomalies. Early neonatal death occurred immediately after full-term birth due to severe respiratory insufficiency. In this case, disturbance of chest wall development due to the omphalocele rather than the diaphragmatic hernia was considered as the main cause of lung hypoplasia. Our experience suggests that caution should be exercised for severe respiratory insufficiency in a neonate with an omphalocele and diaphragmatic hernia, even in the absence of an intra-thoracic liver, one of the indicators of poor outcome for congenital diaphragmatic hernia.