Intrauterine treatment for an acardiac twin with alcohol injection into the umbilical artery.
An acardiac twin is a unique complication of monochorionic twinning, in which a normal pump twin perfuses the acardiac twin. The mortality rate of the pump twin is greater than 50%. Herein we present the successful treatment of an acardiac twin with alcoholization as follows. An acardiac twin was diagnosed at 24 weeks gestation. Circulation interruption of the acardiac twin was successfully achieved by injection of absolute alcohol (5 mL) into the intra-abdominal umbilical artery. Serial ultrasound after the procedure revealed normal growth of the pump twin, whereas the acardiac twin was shrinking. Spontaneous premature delivery at 34 weeks gestation resulted in a normal surviving female baby weighing 2410g and an acardiac female fetus weighing 300g. This experience suggests that this simple technique may be an alternative treatment for an acardiac twin.
Tongsong
Theera
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. ttongson@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
Wanapirak
Chanane
C
Sirichotiyakul
Supatra
S
Chanprapaph
Pharuhas
P
D000328:Adult; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries
D000431:Ethanol