Chronic twin transfusion syndrome
Etiology
There are anastomoses between the circulations of the two fetuses
in the monochorionic placenta.
Classification
Types of anastomoses:
- arterio — arterial (a-a) superficial
- veno — venous (v-v) superficial
- arterio — venous (a-v) deep
Clinical signs
- with balanced blood flow in both directions, the fetuses are not in danger
- if the blood flow is unbalanced, predominantly one way — because of majority of large
a-v anastomoses, where the pressure gradient makes the blood flow from the artery
into the vein, the effect is that one twin, the donor, has decreased
blood volume (hypovolemia), while the other twin, the recipient, has increased blood volume
(hypervolemia)
- neither fetus has optimal conditions for further intrauterine growth, one or both can die
- this condition usually begins around 20th w.g., 15 – 30% monochorionic
diamniotic twins present this syndrome
Consequences:
- intrauterine death of one or both twins
- serious intrauterine problems result into premature delivery,
high perinatal mortality and morbidity
- possible intervention:
- amnioreduction
- in some cases it is possible to occlude the anastomoses
(laser ablation)
Macroscopic appearance
- Donor:
- intrauterine growth retardation
- anemic
- oligohydramnion (with insufficient renal perfusion the fetus has decreased urinary output)
- compressed in the uterus by overpressure of the other twin's polyhydramnion, stuck twin
- deformites of lower limbs
- often it has a velamentous umbilical cord insertion
- Recipient:
- larger fetus, thrives on the expenses of the donor twin
- plethoric
- polyhydramnion
- cardiac hypertrophy as a result volume overload, congestive heart failure
- hepatosplenomegaly
- ascites, hydropericardium and hydrops — severe generalized edema
- usually central insertion of the umbilical cord
Chronic twin transfusion syndrome (72409)
Case study
Fetofetal transfusion syndrome
Marta Ježová
History
Spontanous twin gestation, ultrasound examination in 18th w.g shows two
female fetuses, severe fetofetal transfusion, donor — stuck twin, no congenital malformations; recipient
with hepatosplenomegaly and also no congenital malformations.
Macroscopic appearance
- Twin A — donor:
- female
- body weight 152 g
- body length 21.5 g
- weight of brain 35.7 g
- weight of liver 5.5 g
- weight of heart 0.67 g
- intrauterine growth retardation
- bladder and ureter hypoplasia
- deformites of lower limbs
- agenesis of the left umbilical artery
- Twin B — recipient:
- female
- body weight 210 g
- body length 16.5 cm
- weight of brain 39.5 g
- weight of liver 16.53 g!
- weight of heart 2.21 g!
- urinary bladder dilatation, coiled ureters
- has both umbilical arteries
- Placenta:
- monochorionic diamnionic
- insertion of the twin septum is distictly asymmetric (oligohydramnion versus polyhydramnion)
- Twin A (donor): marginal (paraseptal) insertion of the umbilical cord
- Twin B (recipient): central insertion of the umbilical cord
- A-V anastomoses were found
Pictures
Chronic fetofetal transfusion, donor and recipient:
Twins, Macro, autopsy (72396)
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, Macro, autopsy (72403)
Donor:
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, donor, Macro, autopsy (72404)
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, recipient, Macro, autopsy (72408)
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, donor, Macro, autopsy (72405)
Recipient:
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, recipient, Macro, autopsy (72407)
Twins, fetofetal transfusion, recipient, Macro, autopsy (72406)
Monochorionic diamnionic placenta:
Twins, placenta, Macro, autopsy (72397)
Recipient part of the placenta:
Twins, recipient's part of the placenta, Macro, autopsy (72398)
Donor part of the placenta:
Twins, donor's part of the placenta, Macro, autopsy (72399)
Blood vessel equator and AV anastomoses:
Twins, placenta, Macro, autopsy (72401)
Twins, placenta, anastomoses, Macro, autopsy (72402)