[Importance of intrauterine diagnosis of rudimentary autonomic circulation in an acardiac twin]

Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 1996 May;89(5):629-32.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Foetal acardia is a major complication of twin pregnancies which endangers the life of the healthy twin. The authors report the case of a twin pregnancy with an acardiac twin followed up by repeated echocardiography from the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery at the 36th week. Despite the presence of a parasitic mass, the healthy twin showed no sign of heart failure. Attentive ultrasonography of this mass showed a certain degree of autonomic circulation ensured by a rudimentary cardiac pump. This case confirms the favorable effect of this finding on the healthy twin, moreover, it clarifies some haemodynamic features of the parasitic mass: to-and-fro circulation, characteristic of a cardiac pump without a valve, anastomoses and competitive flow between the two circulatory systems.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abnormalities, Multiple / diagnostic imaging
  • Adult
  • Diseases in Twins*
  • Echocardiography, Doppler
  • Female
  • Fetal Heart / abnormalities*
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Twins, Monozygotic
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal*