Cardiac rhabdomyoma with hydrops fetalis: Prenatal management by abdominal drainage

Hydrops fetalis caused by a complex congenital heart defect with concurrent hypoplasia of pulmonary blood vessels and lungs visualized by micro-CT in a French Bulldog

BACKGROUND

Hydrops fetalis (HF) is fluid accumulation in fetus body cavities and subcutaneous tissue. The condition has been described in various farm and companion animal species, including dogs. Most of cases result from a heart defect. Exact nature of this defect is rarely clarified.

CASE PRESENTATION

A newborn, male French bulldog puppy with severe HF underwent a full anatomopathological examination to diagnose the primary cause of HF. Based on the anatomopathological examination, fetal ultrasound, and micro-computed tomography, transposition of the great arteries with hypoplasia of the ascending aorta, aortic arch interruption, ostium secundum atrial septal defect, severe tricuspid valve dysplasia, as well as hypoplasia of pulmonary vessels and lungs were diagnosed.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report of HF caused by severe, complex congenital heart defects with concurrent pulmonary vessel and lung hypoplasia.

Genetics of Cardiac Tumours: A Narrative Review

Cardiac tumours can occur in association with genetic syndromes. Rhabdomyomas have been reported in association with tuberous sclerosis, myxomas with Carney's complex, cardiac fibromas with Gorlin syndrome, and paragangliomas with multiple endocrine neoplasm syndrome. The presentation and prognosis of cardiac tumours associated with genetic syndromes differ compared with sporadic cases. Knowledge about the associated syndromes' genetic features and extracardiac manifestations is essential for the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of cardiac neoplasms. Moreover, identifying genetic mutations in benign and malignant cardiac tumours is needed to personalise management and improve treatment outcomes. Thus, this review discusses the genetic abnormalities associated with cardiac tumours, the current genetic screening recommendations, and the effect of those genetic mutations on the outcomes.

Isolated Asymptomatic Fetal Intracardiac Mass: A Case of Rhabdomyoma

Introduction

Fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma is one of the rare benign cardiac masses which is commonly associated with the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Though mostly fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma is asymptomatic it may lead to life-threatening conditions like outflow obstruction, arrhythmias, hydrops fetalis, or sudden fetal death.

Case Report

We are reporting an isolated, asymptomatic fetal intra-cardiac mass (rhabdomyoma) that was discovered at 32 weeks of gestation and was followed as an outpatient until 39 weeks plus one day, at which point a cesarean section was performed. After delivery, the child underwent evaluations at the 1^st day, 7^th day, 30^th day, 7^th month, and 12^th month of age. Following a checkup, the child's anthropometric and neurobehavioral growth were both healthy. Except for the tumor, which was neither growing nor shrinking in size, none of the clinical diagnostic criteria for tuberous sclerosis complex were met for this child up to the age of one year.

Conclusion

The most common primary benign fetal cardiac tumor is cardiac rhabdomyoma, which is usually associated with tuberous sclerosis. In developing nations where it is challenging to obtain MRIs and genetic studies, and in a similar patient like ours with no other features of tuberous sclerosis, the child needs to be followed in the future, bearing in mind that tuberous sclerosis manifestations will continue to develop over a patient's lifetime.