Prolongation of Second Twin's Delivery Until Term: A Rare Case of Delayed-Interval Delivery.

Although some cases describing delayed birth of the second twin have been published recently, delay of delivery beyond 36 weeks seems scarce. We report a case of delayed-interval delivery wherein prolongation of the second twin's delivery until term with a subsequent favorable infantile outcome. In this case, the stillbirth of the first twin occurred at 25 weeks' gestation. Prophylactic tocolysis was performed with ritodrine and magnesium sulfate, and a McDonald cerclage was performed 2 days after delivery of the first twin. Ampicillin and gentamicin were also administered for the purpose of prevention of intrauterine infection. No clinical sign of chorioamnionitis was found thereafter, and full term uneventful delivery was achieved. With this experience, we believe that delayed-interval delivery can be effective in prolonging gestation and should be an option if the first twin developed an extreme preterm delivery.

Hyperglycemia impairs left-right axis formation and thereby disturbs heart morphogenesis in mouse embryos.

Congenital heart defects with heterotaxia are associated with pregestational diabetes mellitus. To provide insight into the mechanisms underlying such diabetes-related heart defects, we examined the effects of high-glucose concentrations on formation of the left-right axis in mouse embryos. Expression of Pitx2, which plays a key role in left-right asymmetric morphogenesis and cardiac development, was lost in the left lateral plate mesoderm of embryos of diabetic dams. Embryos exposed to high-glucose concentrations in culture also failed to express Nodal and Pitx2 in the left lateral plate mesoderm. The distribution of phosphorylated Smad2 revealed that Nodal activity in the node was attenuated, accounting for the failure of left-right axis formation. Consistent with this notion, Notch signal-dependent expression of Nodal-related genes in the node was also down-regulated in association with a reduced level of Notch signaling, suggesting that high-glucose concentrations impede Notch signaling and thereby hinder establishment of the left-right axis required for heart morphogenesis.

Difficulty of cervical cancer diagnosis during pregnancy: A case series analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of cervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 6 months after parturition.

Due to the recent trend of women having children at an older age, the number of pregnancies complicated by cervical cancer has increased. In the present study, the clinical characteristics of patients with cervical cancer complicated by pregnancy were analyzed. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with cervical cancer during pregnancy who underwent treatment at Kyushu University Hospital from January 2008 to December 2017 were assessed retrospectively from their medical records. The medical information of patients diagnosed within 6 months after parturition was also evaluated as these patients were considered to be affected by cervical cancer during pregnancy. A total of 19 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer during pregnancy (median age, 33 years), three of whom were diagnosed as negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy at the initial visit to a previous clinic after pregnancy. The tumor stage was IA1 in one patient, IB1 in 16 patients, IB2 in one patient and IVB in one patient. The median gestational age at the time of cervical cancer diagnosis was 13 weeks. One patient died of cervical cancer during the follow-up period. An additional 12 patients were diagnosed within 6 months after parturition. The median age of these patients was 35.5 years. Cancer screening was performed in 10 patients during pregnancy, none of whom were diagnosed with cervical cancer, including three patients who were negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy. Of the 12 patients, one had tumor stage IA1, eight had IB1, two had IB2 and one had IIB. Three patients experienced recurrence, of whom one died of cervical cancer. Advanced cervical cancer was diagnosed both during pregnancy and within 6 months after parturition. Diagnosis of cervical cancer during pregnancy is difficult even at an advanced stage; however, rapid diagnosis and prompt multidisciplinary treatment are critical. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the accuracy of cervical cancer diagnosis, and to characterize tumor cells and their microenvironment, during pregnancy.

Gastric cancer during pregnancy with placental involvement: case report and review of published works.

Gastric cancer involving the placenta during pregnancy is rare; however, we present 1 such case in this report. A 31-year-old Japanese woman was referred at 26 weeks of gestation for the evaluation of a swollen left supraclavicular lymph node. Biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy of the stomach confirmed the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Her epigastric and back pain became more pronounced and her general status worsened, and we performed a cesarean delivery at 29 weeks. Microscopic examination of the placental specimen revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells diffused into the intervillous space. Postpartum chemotherapy consisted of S-1 plus oxaliplatin. Unfortunately, this treatment was ineffective, and the patient died 3 months after delivery. The infant did well, without clinical or laboratory manifestations of metastasis. In patients with advanced gastric cancer during pregnancy, it is important to perform a microscopic examination of the placenta to evaluate for metastatic involvement.

Prenatal diagnosis of a retroperitoneal lymphangioma: a case and review.

Prenatal sonographic findings of lymphangiomas characteristically appear as thin-walled, multiseptate hypoechogenic masses. In our case, a retroperitoneal hypoechogenic mass was detected at 26 weeks of gestation by sonography. Serial sonographic examinations demonstrated multiple septations at 29 weeks of gestation, which in retrospect was a classical finding of retroperitoneal lymphangioma. MRI at 38 weeks of gestation revealed a multilocular mass, which was homogeneous, low on T1-weighted and high on T2-weighted images, in the left retroperitoneal cavity. These findings were compatible with the diagnosis of a lymphangioma. This case shows the change in characteristic imaging features, from a unilocular to multilocular pattern, of a lymphangioma with regard to gestational age. It is important to observe the size and extension of such tumors in order to determine the prospect for neonatal prognosis, as well as to make decisions on the delivery timing and style.

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.

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.

Intrapartum placement of an inferior vena cava filter for a woman with hereditary antithrombin III deficiency: its role in the prevention of fatal pulmonary embolism.

We present a case of a pregnant woman with hereditary antithrombin III deficiency and deep vein thrombosis of the left lower extremity managed by perinatal unfractionated heparin injection with antithrombin III replacement as well as by intrapartum placement of a temporary inferior vena cava filter. A massive thrombus of the right common iliac vein occurred during the intrapartum period despite antithrombin III replacement. An inserted filter could prevent fatal pulmonary embolism in this patient. Hereditary antithrombin III deficiency increases risk of thrombosis during pregnancy. However, discussion on intrapartum management, when anticoagulants are contraindicated due to possible hemorrhage, is minimal. Our experience suggests that thrombosis can occur and develop during the intrapartum period in an antithrombin III deficient woman despite antithrombin III replacement. It may be advisable to manage deliveries with temporary inferior vena cava filters to prevent fatal pulmonary embolism.