Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Natural history and outcome of prenatally diagnosed cystic hygroma

2004; Wiley; Volume: 24; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/pd.991

1097-0223

Ramesh Ganapathy, Muhammet Güven, Farah Sethna, Umesh Vivekananda, B. Thilaganathan,

Tumors and Oncological Cases

Abstract Objective To define the outcome in cases of cystic hygroma diagnosed from a routine obstetric population. Method This was a retrospective study of 42 cases of fetal cystic hygroma detected at 11 to 23 weeks' gestation in a routine obstetric population of 25 352 pregnancies. Fetal cystic hygroma was categorized according to position, severity, presence of cardiac defects and Hydrops fetalis. Results There were 20 (47.6%) cases with aneuploidy (9 trisomies and 11 Turner's syndrome). Major congenital cardiac defects were identified in 12 (28.6%) cases. Regression of the hygroma was noted in 2/20 (10%) of the aneuploid pregnancies and 3/17 (17.6%) of the euploid pregnancies. The majority (90.0%) of the aneuploid fetuses were female. In contrast, 70.58% of the fetuses in the euploid group were male and all the surviving normal babies were also male ( n = 3). Conclusion The findings of this study would support invasive prenatal diagnosis for an ultrasound finding of fetal cystic hygroma. Even in euploid pregnancies with cystic hygroma, there is a high mortality with associated abnormalities. The data also suggest a guarded pregnancy prognosis for the finding of fetal cystic hygroma, and that it is improved with spontaneous resolution, especially in male fetuses of normal karyotype. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.