Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy of Persistent Cloaca: A Case Report

Fetal ascites in cloacal malformations-a red flag

INTRODUCTION

Cloacal malformation is a rare anomaly that remains a diagnostic challenge prenatally, despite the current advances in ultrasonography and MRI. This condition can in some, present with isolated ascites or with other findings, such as a pelvic cyst or upper urinary tract dilatation. In a minority, the ascites may be progressive, questioning the role of antenatal intervention.

METHODS

We report on ten patients that have been identified from our Cloaca database between 2010 and 2022.

RESULTS

The presence of ascites was associated with extensive bowel adhesions and matting, leading to a challenging initial laparotomy and peri-operative course.

CONCLUSIONS

Antenatal finding of ascites in newborns with cloacal malformations should raise a red flag. The surgeon and anaesthetist should be prepared for the operative difficulties secondary to bowel adhesions and the higher risk of haemodynamic instability at the initial surgery. An experienced team at initial laparotomy in such patients is vital.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Persistent cloaca with fetal ascites: clinical features and perinatal management

PURPOSE

Fetuses with persistent cloaca are known to develop urine or meconium backflow into the abdominal cavity caused by obstruction of the common channel, thus leading to fetal peritonitis with fetal ascites. We analyzed the impact of prenatal fetal ascites on postnatal clinical features and management.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted to compare the perinatal parameters of patients with isolated persistent cloaca who were born and treated at our hospital between 1991 and 2021. The clinical features and management of those with and without fetal ascites were compared.

RESULTS

Among the 17 eligible patients, fetal ascites were recognized in seven. The occurrence of fetal ascites was significantly related to preterm birth, higher birth weight z-score, birth via emergency cesarean delivery, low Apgar scores at 1 min and 5 min, higher C-reactive protein levels at birth, longer duration of oxygen administration, the need for a urinary drainage catheter at initial discharge, and shorter neonatal hospital stays.

CONCLUSIONS

The postnatal management of patients with persistent cloaca with fetal ascites differed significantly from that of patients without fetal ascites. For patients with unexplained fetal ascites, magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful for determining the definite diagnosis of persistent cloaca.

Persistent cloaca: a 10-year review of prenatal diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to review antenatal sonographic findings in children born with persistent cloaca.

METHODS

Infants (n =145) with persistent cloaca followed at a center for colorectal congenital anomalies were identified by a retrospective chart review. Fifty female infants with a persistent cloaca met inclusion criteria and had prenatal records and imaging studies available for review. Sonographic data were retrospectively abstracted from charts.

RESULTS

Anomalies were detected in 27 of 50 cases (54%). A correct antenatal diagnosis of persistent cloaca occurred in 3 of 50 (6%). Common findings misinterpreted on antenatal sonography include urinary tract anomalies, dilated bowel, and a cystic pelvic mass (representing hydrocolpos).

CONCLUSIONS

Antenatal diagnosis of persistent cloaca is difficult. Persistent cloaca should be considered in the differential diagnosis if urinary tract malformations, dilated bowel loops, or cystic pelvic masses are visualized by prenatal diagnosis.

Fetal MRI clues to diagnose cloacal malformations

BACKGROUND

Prenatal US detection of cloacal malformations is challenging and rarely confirms this diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

To define the prenatal MRI findings in cloacal malformations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of patients with cloacal malformations who had pre- and post-natal assessment at our institution. Fetal MRI was obtained in six singleton pregnancies between 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. Imaging analysis was focused on the distal bowel, the urinary system and the genital tract and compared with postnatal clinical, radiological and surgical diagnoses.

RESULTS

The distal bowel was dilated and did not extend below the bladder in five fetuses. They had a long common cloacal channel (3.5-6 cm) and a rectum located over the bladder base. Only one fetus with a posterior cloacal variant had a normal rectum. Three fetuses had increased T2 signal in the bowel and two increased T1/decreased T2 signal bladder content. All had renal anomalies, four had abnormal bladders and two had hydrocolpos.

CONCLUSION

Assessment of the anorectal signal and pelvic anatomy during the third trimester helps to detect cloacal malformations in the fetus. The specificity for this diagnosis was highly increased when bowel fluid or bladder meconium content was identified.

Case report: Antenatal MRI diagnosis of cloacal dysgenesis syndrome

Cloacal dysgenesis sequence (CDS) is a lethal malformation with a highly variable presentation. CDS is characterized by direct communication between the gastrointestinal, urinary, and genital structures, resulting in a single perineal opening. Prenatal diagnosis of a cloacal anomaly is often difficult because of the highly variable imaging features. Here, we report a case in which a diagnosis of CDS was made with fetal MRI on the basis of a meconium-containing, bilobed, abdominopelvic cystic mass communicating with the ureters and the colon.

Prenatal diagnosis of cloacal malformations

INTRODUCTION

Prenatal diagnosis of anorectal malformations currently occurs in 0-15.9% of screened cases. In cloacas, these numbers are unknown. We speculate that some images from prenatal ultrasound studies may suggest the diagnosis of cloaca, but are not recognized because of a lack of suspicion for this diagnosis.

METHODS

A retrospective review of the medical records of 489 patients born with cloaca was performed; 95 of them had prenatal ultrasound reports that represent the material analyzed for this study. A literature review was performed, finding 31 publications, with 68 cloaca patients detected by prenatal images. The abnormal findings of our patients were compared with those described in the literature to determine the most common abnormal prenatal images found in patients with cloaca.

RESULTS

The 95 ultrasound reports found in our patients described 270 abnormalities, the most frequent were: abdominal/pelvic cystic/mass (39), hydronephrosis (36), oligohydramnios (23), distended bowel/bowel obstruction (19), ascites (15), 2 vessel cord (14), dilated bladder (14), dilated ureter (14), polyhydramnios (10), echogenic bowel (8), multicystic kidney (8), "ambiguous genitalia" (7), hydrops fetalis (7), hydrocolpos (4), absent kidney (3), abnormal spine (3), and anorectal atresia (3). In spite of these findings, the radiologists who interpreted the studies only suspected a cloaca in 6 cases (6%). The literature review showed 212 abnormalities in 68 demonstrated cloaca patients. The most frequent were: abdominal/pelvic cystic/mass (46), hydronephrosis (44), ascites (21), oligohydramnios (20), distended bowel (11), multicystic dysplastic kidney (7), ambiguous genitalia (6), non-visualization of the bladder (6), two-vessel cord (5), dilated bladder (5), intraabdominal calcification (4), polyhydramnios (4), enterolithiasis (4), hydrometrocolpos (3), and dilated ureter (3).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that it is possible to suspect the diagnosis of cloaca, prenatally, more frequently than what currently occurs, looking at the same images but with an increased index of suspicion for cystic abdominal masses and a combination of gastrointestinal and urological abnormalities.

Prenatal diagnosis of persistent cloaca

We report four cases of persistent cloaca diagnosed at 32-33 weeks of gestation. In cases of persistent cloaca, serial prenatal ultrasonography shows transient fetal ascites, enlarged cystic structures arising from the fetal pelvis. Our four cases of persistent cloaca were diagnosed prenatally. Persistent cloaca should be considered in any female fetus presenting with hydronephrosis and a large cystic lesion arising from the pelvis as assessed by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Neither pulmonary hypoplasia nor severe oligohydramnios were found in any of our four cases, and they each had a good prognosis. Prenatal diagnosis allows time for parental counseling and delivery planning at a tertiary care center for neonatal intensive care and pediatric surgery.

Giant cystic meconium peritonitis associated with a cloacal anomaly: case report

This report describes a case of giant cystic meconium peritonitis (GCMP) associated with a cloacal anomaly. Antenatal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated persistent fetal ascites, bilateral hydronephrosis, and 3 pelvic cystic structures. The baby girl showed duplicated hydrocolpos and a single orifice of the cloaca with a long common channel inducing a urinary outflow obstruction. After constructing a diversion colostomy, a cutaneous vesicostomy was necessary to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections. These findings are consistent with a prenatal diagnosis of cloacal anomalies, thus suggesting an association with severe obstruction of lower urinary tract and meconium peritonitis. Most of reported cases of meconium peritonitis associated with the cloaca show fibroadhesive types with scattered intraperitoneal calcifications and adhesions. However, the present case showed a rare GCMP suggesting continuous urinary influx via the fallopian tubes until the later stage of intrauterine life.