Prenatal thrombosis of the inferior vena cava and the renal veins.
OBJECTIVE
This manuscript discusses the clinical presentation, diagnosis, pathophysiology and possible etiologies of prenatal thrombosis of the inferior vena cava and renal veins.


METHODS
Eleven cases were identified through a Medline search of the English literature. These cases were reviewed, together with a recent case that was treated in our medical center.


RESULTS
Fetal thrombosis in the aforementioned vessels, presented as hydrops fetalis (33%), acute fetal distress (42%), or as an incidental prenatal ultrasound finding (25%). Underlying maternal conditions were present in 58%, and included chronic conditions (hypertension and diabetes mellitus), acute conditions (pyelonephritis and preeclampsia) and thrombophilia. In 42% cases, the prenatal ultrasound scan revealed an enlarged and hyper-echogenic affected kidney.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrauterine fetal venous thrombosis is a rare phenomenon, probably attributed to a multifactorial process. These factors may include inherited thrombophilia as well as prothrombotic clinical conditions.
Smorgick
Noam
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Zerifin, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. noam_yossi@yahoo.com
Herman
Arie
A
Wiener
Yifat
Y
Halperin
Reuvit
R
Sherman
Dan
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000473:pathology*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000473:pathology*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis*