A case of acardiac twin pregnancy with fetus survival after successful radiofrequency ablation of umbilical cord. |
Ji hyon Jang, Myoung Jin Moon, Hea Ree Park, Eun Hee Ahn, Sang Hee Jung, Yu mi Lee, Eun A Kim |
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHA University, Bundang Cha Women's Hospital, Seoul, Korea. mmj33@hanmail.net |
|
Abstract |
Acardiac twin is a rare anomaly that occurs 1% in monochorionic twins and 1 in 35,000 pregnancies overall. Acardiac twin, also known as twin-reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence, involves a "pump" or donor twin perfusing a recipient or "acardiac" twin through vascular (usually arterial-arterial and venous-venous) anastomoses. Perinatal mortality rate for the pump twin has been reported to be 50~75%, mainly as a result of polyhydramnios, preterm labor, and congestive heart failure. Therefore, occlusion of the circulation to the acardiac twin has been recommended to improve perinatal outcome of the pump twin. Radiofrequency ablation of the acardiac twin effectively protects the pump twin from high-output cardiac failure and death. We report our experience in the treatment of patients with TRAP sequence using radio frequency ablation to stop perfusion to the acardiac twin. |
Key Words:
Radiofrequency ablation, Monochorionic twin, Twin-reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP), Acardiac twin |
|