Prenatal diagnosis of severe tricuspid insufficiency in Ebstein's anomaly with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum: a case report

Ebstein's anomaly: epidemiological analysis and presentation of different prenatal management

OBJECTIVES

To present the crucial role of echocardiographic examination in perinatal care and analyze influence of prenatal treatment for neonatal outcome. Furthermore, the attempt to answer the question if there was any relationship between the occurrence of fetal Ebstein's anomaly and environmental risk factors in polish population.

METHODS

Forty-five prenatal diagnoses of Ebstein's anomaly were compiled over the 21-year period (1998‒2018) form our single unit. The analysis included the assessment of maternal parameters (age, past obstetric history, and place of residence) and fetal parameters (sex, gestational age, anatomy, the fetal cardiovascular condition assessed by the CVPS, associated extracardiac anomalies or malformations, prenatal treatment, delivery and follow-up).

RESULTS

The average age of gravida was 29.5 years (± 5.2 years) and gravidae <35 years of age accounted for 80% . There were 43 singleton pregnancies and 2 cases of multiple pregnancy. Ebstein's anomaly was mostly (averagely) diagnosed at 28th week of gestation. Forty-three fetuses had normal karyotypes and two had trisomy 21. Cardiomegaly was present in 91% (41) of fetuses. The average heart area to chest area ratio was 0.56 (± 0.12). In 21 cases, there was only fetal monitoring - echocardiographic examinations and postnatal mortality was 44.4%. In 5 cases, transplacental digoxin treatment was administered and mortality was: 40%. In another 5 cases, only steroid therapy was applied and postnatal mortality was 100%. Steroids and transplacental digoxin treatment were administered in 11 cases and mortality was 63.6%. In 3 last cases transplacental digoxin treatment, steroids and maternal hyperoxygenation therapy were given and mortality was 0%. Cesarean section rate was 49%. Moreover, due to Ebstein's anomaly regional peak of occurrence benzopyrene was deliberated as environmental risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Fetal Ebstein's anomaly occurred in our population in healthy young women, expecting their first child and malformation was not related to fetus gender, nor to maternal health condition. Our data can be a new signal for the development of novel treatment strategies in therapy in fetuses with Ebstein's anomaly.

Fetal Heart Size: A Comparison Between the Point-to-Point Trace and Automated Ellipse Methods Between 20 and 40 Weeks' Gestation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether the global area and circumference of the heart varies between two measurement techniques: the point-to-point trace and the electronic ellipse methods.

METHODS

The epicardial border of the 4-chamber view was measured in 200 fetuses between 20 and 40 weeks' gestation, from which the area and circumference using the point-to-point trace and electronic ellipse were measured. Analysis of variance, correlation, and regression analysis using fractional polynomials and 7 independent variables (head circumference, biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, femur length, estimated fetal weight, mean ultrasound gestational age, and last menstrual period gestational age) were performed.

RESULTS

The correlation between the mean ultrasound gestational age and last menstrual period gestational age was 0.9880 (5% confidence limit, 0.9716; 95% confidence limit, 0.9880), with an R² of 0.9762. The R² value for the 7 independent variables regressed against the area and circumference using the point-to-point trace and electronic ellipse methods ranged between 0.885 and 0.965. Comparison of Z scores between this study and previous publications demonstrated that there were differences and similarities, depending on whether the area or circumference was measured.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows high R² values when comparing measurements of the area and circumference against 7 independent variables, irrespective of whether the point-to-point trace or the electronic ellipse method was used to obtain the measurements. A calculator to evaluate the area and circumference is provided, using 7 independent variables from which Z scores and percentiles for individual measurements can be computed.