Potassium chloride-induced fetal demise: a retrospective cohort study of efficacy and safety.
OBJECTIVE
Induction of fetal demise before second-trimester termination is performed for a number of reasons. One method for inducing fetal demise is via sonographically guided intracardiac potassium chloride (KCl) injection. We performed a retrospective cohort study to determine the efficacy and safety of intracardiac KCl injection as a method of second-trimester induced fetal demise.


METHODS
We reviewed records from patients who were referred for induced fetal demise from October 2002 to October 2011. We excluded patients undergoing selective fetal reduction in multiple gestations. Procedural complications, the dose of KCl, and the number of failed procedures were determined.


RESULTS
Of the 192 completed procedures, 191 were successful (99.5%). The median gestational age at termination was 22 weeks (range, 15.4-24.9 weeks), and most terminations were surgical (68.0%). Major indications for termination were fetal anomalies (41.6%), unwanted pregnancy (20.8%), and aneuploidy (15.7%). The median dose of KCl was 10 mL (range, 3-40 mL). We found a significant correlation between the dose of KCl and estimated fetal weight. There was no significant correlation between the dose of KCl and body mass index or gestational age. We had 1 maternal complication of a seizure after needle placement but before KCl injection.


CONCLUSIONS
Intracardiac KCl injection is an effective and safe method for induced fetal demise.
Sections of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Family Planning, Department Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, PO Box 208063, New Haven, CT 06520 USA. anna.sfakianaki@yale.edu.
Anna K
AK
Sfakianaki
Katherine J
KJ
Davis
Joshua A
JA
Copel
Nancy L
NL
Stanwood
Heather S
HS
Lipkind
D000019:Abortifacient Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D011189:Potassium Chloride
abortion; fetal demise; feticide; obstetric ultrasound; potassium chloride