Fetal ventriculomegaly due to isolated brain malformations.
Management of 32 consecutive cases of fetal hydrocephalus diagnosed prenatally during a five years period is presented. Thirteen cases (40%) being patients with ventriculomegaly due to isolated brain malformation are the topic of this paper. In this group, management was conservative and consisted of termination of pregnancy by elective cesarean section after prenatal fetal assessment. Agenesis of corpus callosum (6 cases) and Dandy-Walker malformation (7 cases) were the most common observed forms. Antenatal sonography improved intrauterine follow-up. Skillful perinatal management and support facilities after birth have been found a reliable approach to conservative management of fetal hydrocephalus by lacking of satisfactory techniques for in utero permanent cerebrospinal fluid shunting.
Amato
M
M
Division of Neonatology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
Hüppi
P
P
Durig
P
P
Kaiser
G
G
Schneider
H
H
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*