NEW ORLEANS -- The presence of hydrops is a poor prognostic sign in fetuses diagnosed antenatally with sacrococcygeal teratoma.
A retrospective evaluation of 13 cases of this tumor detected ultrasonographically between weeks 18 and 29 of gestation found 100% mortality when hydrops was present, Dr. K. Mujaibel reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Another poor prognostic sign was rapid tumor growth, which was significantly associated with the development of cardiomegaly and polyhydramnios, according to Dr. Mujaibel of the department of maternal-fetal medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
In this series, polyhydramnios was seen in 46% and was associated with "a substantial risk" of preterm labor (100%) and overall prenatal death (83%).
Fetuses that had tumors exceeding 5 cm at the time of diagnosis also were at increased risk for high output heart failure and death. Postulated mechanisms of perinatal death include high output cardiac failure, anemia due to hemorrhage or hemolysis within the tumor, or tumor rupture, Dr. Mujaibel reported in a poster session at the meeting, which was cosponsored by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
COPYRIGHT 2002 International Medical News Group
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group