Assessment of the quality of fetal heart standard views using the FAST, STAR, and FINE four-dimensional ultrasound techniques in the screening of congenital heart diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the quality of standard fetal echocardiographic views obtained by four-dimensional ultrasound with those obtained by the simple targeted arterial rendering (STAR) technique, four-chamber view swing technique (FAST), and fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE/5D Heart® ) technique. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional prospective study that included pregnant women between 22 and 34 weeks of gestation, with normal fetuses. Fetal heart volumes were acquired using spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC) with the fetal spine between 2 and 9 o'clock. The FAST/STAR techniques consist of the manipulation of STIC volumes by drawing OmniView™ lines to obtain echocardiographic views. The FINE/5D Heart® technique uses intelligent navigation to automatically generate echocardiographic views. The quality of the images was classified as excellent, good, acceptable, and unacceptable. The analysis was performed using the Bonferroni multiple comparisons test. RESULTS: The study included 101 pregnant women aged between 16 and 44 years. There was no mean difference in image quality between the techniques regarding fetal spine position in all echocardiographic views (P > .05). However, in the five-chamber, left ventricular outflow tract, right ventricular outflow tract, ductal arch, superior vena cava/inferior vena cava, and abdomen/stomach views, there was a statistically significant mean difference quality between the techniques, regardless of the spine position (P < .05). The best mean image quality was obtained by the FINE technique (P ≤ .016 for all fetal echocardiographic views). CONCLUSION: The quality of the echocardiographic views obtained using the FINE technique was superior to that of those generated by the FAST/STAR techniques in normal fetuses.

Reference Ranges of Fetal Cardiac Biometric Parameters Using Three-Dimensional Ultrasound with Spatiotemporal Image Correlation M Mode and Their Applicability in Congenital Heart Diseases.

To determine reference values for fetal heart biometric parameters using the spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) M mode and their applicability in congenital heart diseases (CHDs). A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted with 300 singleton pregnancies between 20 and 33 + 6 weeks of gestation. Right ventricular wall thickness (RVWT), interventricular septum thickness (IVST), and left ventricular wall thickness (LVWT) were measured off-line using the STIC-M mode with the cursor perpendicular to the interventricular septum. Polynomial regressions adjusted with the coefficient of determination (R 2) were performed. The curves were applied to 14 fetuses with structural CHD. For the reproducibility calculations, the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was used. The mean RVWT, IVST, and LVWT were 0.34 ± 0.09 cm, 0.28 ± 0.09 cm, and 0.30 ± 0.07 cm, respectively. There was correlation between RVWT, IVST, and LVWT and gestational age (GA): RVWT = -0.002 + 0.013 × GA (R 2 = 0.33), IVST = -0.011 + 0.011 × GA (R 2 = 0.25), and LVWT = 0.056 + 0.009 × GA (R 2 = 0.26). RVWT, IVST, and LVWT were altered (<5th or >95th percentile) in 5/14, 5/14, and 7/14 of the fetuses with CHD, respectively. For RVWT, IVST, and LVWT, intra-observer (CCC = 0.86, 0.85, and 0.87, respectively) and inter-observer (CCC = 0.86, 0.86, and 0.86, respectively) reproducibility were good/moderate. The reference ranges determined for fetal heart biometric parameters using STIC-M had good intra- and inter-observer reproducibility and were applicable to fetuses with CHD.

Congenital Complete Atrioventricular Heart Block in a Pregnant Woman with Sjögren Syndrome: Prenatal Care Follow-Up and the Challenge of Intrauterine Treatment.

The present report describes a case of complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) diagnosed at 25 weeks of gestation in a pregnant woman with Sjögren's syndrome and positive anti-Ro/SSA antibodies. Fluorinated steroids (dexamethasone and betamethasone) and terbuline were used to increase the fetal heart rate, but the fetal heart block was not reversible, and the administration of drugs was discontinued due to maternal collateral effects. Follow-up fetal echocardiograms were performed, and the fetus evolved with pericardial effusion, presence of fibroelastosis in the right ventricle, and ventricular dysfunction. Interruption of pregnancy by cesarean section was indicated at 34 weeks of gestation, and a cardiac pacemaker was implanted in the male newborn immediately after birth. Therapy for fetuses with CAVB is controversial mainly regarding the use or not of corticosteroids; however, monitoring of the atrioventricular interval by fetal echocardiography should be performed in fetuses from pregnant women with positive autoantibodies anti-Ro/SSA and/or anti-La/SSB to prevent the progression to CAVB.

Este relato descreve um caso de bloqueio atrioventricular completo (BAVC) diagnosticado com 25 semanas de gestação em uma mulher com síndrome de Sjögren e anticorpos anti-Ro/SSA positivos. Esteroides fluoretados (dexametasona e betametasona) e terbulina foram utilizados para aumentar a frequência cardíaca fetal, mas o bloqueio cardíaco fetal não foi reversível, e a administração dos medicamentos foi interrompida devido a efeitos colaterais maternos. Ecocardiogramas fetais de acompanhamento foram realizados, e o feto evoluiu com derrame pericárdico, presença de fibroelastose no ventrículo direito, e disfunção ventricular. A interrupção da gravidez por cesariana foi indicada com 34 semanas, e um marca-passo cardíaco foi implantado no recém-nascido do sexo masculino imediatamente após o nascimento. A terapia para fetos com BAVC é controversa, principalmente no que diz respeito ao uso ou não de corticosteroides; no entanto, o monitoramento do intervalo atrioventricular pela ecocardiografia fetal deve ser feito em fetos de mulheres grávidas com autoanticorpos positivos anti-Ro/SSA e/ou anti-La/SSB para impedir a progressão para o BAVC.

Anatomically corrected malposition of the great arteries: a challenging fetal diagnosis.

Anatomically corrected malposed great arteries are uncommon and benign entity. Basically, this occurs with ventriculoarterial concordance in which the great vessels arise parallel instead of a twisting fashion. In this manuscript, we described two cases in which the antenatal diagnosis of anatomically corrected malposition of great arteries was suspected and confirmed during the postnatal period. During the fetal life, this diagnosis remains a challenge and this condition is often misdiagnosed as the transposition of the great arteries (TGA). Differently to TGA, anatomically corrected malposition of the great arteries may not require any cardiac surgical intervention depending on the associated cardiac anomalies. Indeed, postnatal examination for concerns related to anomalies that can be associated with this condition, such as anomalous origins of coronary arteries and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, should be performed.

Fetal cardiac function by three-dimensional ultrasound using 4D-STIC and VOCAL - an update.

Three- and four-dimensional (3D/4D) ultrasonography with spatio-temporal image correlation (4D-STIC) allows obtaining fetal cardiac volumes and their static and real-time analysis in multiplanar and rendering modes. Cardiac biometrics and Doppler-echocardiographic parameters for evaluation of fetal heart function, including cardiac output and stroke volume, can be analyzed using M-mode, two-dimensional (2D), and 3D/4D cardiac ultrasound. In recent years, functional echocardiography has been used to study fetuses without a structurally cardiac defect but who are at risk of heart failure due to the presence of extra-cardiac conditions, such as, fetal growth restriction, tumors/masses, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, fetal anemia (Rh alloimmunization), congenital infections, or maternal diabetes mellitus. The assessment of cardiac function provides important information on hemodynamic status and can help optimize the best time for delivery and reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality. Since 2003, with the advent of the 4D-STIC software, it is possible to evaluate the fetal heart in multiplanar, and rendering modes. This technology associated with virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) enables determining the ventricular volume (end-diastole, end-systole), the stroke-volume, the ejection fraction, and the cardiac output of each ventricle. Since 2004, several studies demonstrated that the 4D-STIC and VOCAL had good reproducibility to measure cardiac volumes This study reviews published studies that evaluated the fetal cardiac function by 3D ultrasound using 4D-STIC and VOCAL software.

Pentalogy of Cantrell: Prenatal Diagnosis, Delivery, and Immediate Postnatal Surgical Repair.

Pentalogy of Cantrell (PC) is a congenital anomaly characterized by a defect in the lower sternum, anterior diaphragm, and anterior abdominal wall; ectopia cordis; and congenital heart disease. It is a very rare congenital anomaly and the prenatal diagnosis is possible in the beginning of second trimester of pregnancy using the conventional ultrasonography. The prognosis is poor with high rates of perinatal mortality. We present a case report of prenatal diagnosis of PC at 22 weeks and 3 days of gestation. We emphasize the prenatal care follow up in a tertiary reference center, the parental counseling, the planning of delivery, and the management of newborn by a multidisciplinary team, including the description of immediate postnatal surgical repair.

Fetal ductus arteriosus constriction and closure: analysis of the causes and perinatal outcome related to 45 consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the causes and perinatal outcome related to fetal ductus arteriosus constriction or closure at a single center over a 26-year period. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 45 consecutive cases of constriction (n = 41) and closure (n = 4) from 1987 through 2013. Patients were divided into Group A (maternal use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), n = 29), Group B (idiopathic, n = 8), and Group C (other drugs not previously described, n = 8). RESULTS: The median gestational age at diagnosis was 34 weeks (range, 27-38), mean systolic and diastolic velocity in the ductus arteriosus was 2.01 ± 0.66 m/s and 0.71 ± 0.46 m/s, respectively. Among the 29 cases of NSAIDs, 27.5% (8/29) have taken a single day use and 75% multiple days/doses. Right ventricular dilatation was present in 82.2% of the fetuses, tricuspid insufficiency in 86.6%, and heart failure in 22.2%. Neonatal persistent pulmonary hypertension occurred in 17.7% of the patients. Late follow-up showed all 43 survivors alive and healthy with only two deaths from unrelated causes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that clinically significant ductal constriction may follow maternal exposure to single doses of NSAIDs. Unknown causes or other new substances were also described, such as naphazoline, fluoxetine, isoxsuprine, caffeine and pesticides. Echocardiographic diagnosis of ductal constriction led to an active medical approach that resulted in low morbidity of this group of patients.

Alteraçöes hemodinâmicas no pneumoperitônio induzido durante cirurgias vídeo-laparoscópicas / Hemodynamic changes of induced pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic surgery

As alteraçöes hemodinâmicas que podem ocorrer nas cirurgias vídeo-laparoscópicas em funçäo da compressäo dos vasos abdominais pela confecçäo do pneumoperitônio, levam os cirurgiöes a manter especial preocupaçäo com as possíveis repercurssöes do procedimento. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar as alteraçöes observadas em 34 pacientes ASA e ASA II, com idade variando entre 28 e 69 anos, pesando entre 49 e 85 kg, circunferência abdominal entre 70 e 110 cm, e distância xifo-pública entre 25 e 45 cm. Foram avaliados: pressäo do pneumoperitôneo (PPN), volume de gás carbônico (VCO2) insuflado, freqüência cardíaca (FC) e respiratória (FR), pressäo arterial sistólica (PAs), pressäo arterial diastólica (PAd) e pressäo arterial média (PAM), todas computadas antes da insuflaçäo peritonial no trans-operatório, em intervalos regulares de 20 min até a desinuflaçäo da cavidade abdominal. Os dados obidos foram avaliados considerando como significante p < 0,05. Foi constatado que todas as variáveis estudadas possuem alteraçöes nos diferentes intervalos de tempo, porém näo sendo estatisticamente significantes. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que as alteraçöes observadas säo toleradas, e näo repercutem clinicamente nos pacientes ASA I e ASA II