Agenesis of the ductus venosus and its correlation to hydrops fetalis
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Thomas Hoppen
Abstract
Absence of the ductus venosus is a rare vascular anomaly. We report a late onset of a hydrops fetalis seen in a fetus at 34 completed weeks of gestation. A persistence of the cranial parts of the left and right umbilical veins and of the paired cranial vitelline veins with an absent ductus venosus led to a bilateral hydrothorax, ascites and skinedema. Postnatally the hydrops resolved within 7 days most probably due to the change from the fetal to the adult circulation. The abnormal venous system was confirmed by angiography. Agenesis of the ductus venosus can manifest in two different morphologic patterns: The umbilical vein drains exclusively into the left branch of the intrahepatic portal vein or the umbilical vein drains into the inferior vena cava or directly into the right atrium by-passing the liver completely. In both patterns, the preferential direction of the flow towards the foramen ovale is not present. While the first pattern leads to hyperperfusion of the liver parenchyma, the latter would result in reduced perfusion and oxygenation. Our findings suggest that agenesis of ductus venosus might induce hydrops fetalis. We conclude, that in every case of hydrops fetalis the venous system should be evaluated by ultrasonography prenatally and/or immediately postnatally.
Copyright (c)2000 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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Articles in the same Issue
- Inhaled nitric oxide in premature infants - a meta-analysis
- Fetal transverse cerebellar diameter in different ethnic groups
- Randomized trial of administration of prostaglandin E2 gel for induction of labor in the morning or the evening
- Fetal sciatic nerve growth is delayed following repeated maternal injections of corticosteroid in sheep
- Endoscopic examination of the fetus in early pregnancy
- The analysis of the complement activation product SC5 b-9 is applicable in neonates in spite of their profound C9 deficiency
- Perinatal factors and preterm delivery in an Irish obstetric population
- Relation between brain tissue pO2 and dopamine synthesis of basal ganglia - A 18FDOPA-PET study in newborn piglets
- Premature closure of foramen ovale and renal vein thrombosis in a stillborn twin homozygous for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism: A clinicopathologic case study
- Agenesis of the ductus venosus and its correlation to hydrops fetalis
