title: Clinical characteristics of prenatally diagnosed persistent left superior vena cava in low-risk pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence and clinical characteristics of persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) among low-risk pregnancies. We have also compared electrocardiography (ECG) parameters of infants with PLSVC with those of normal controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  At our institute, fetal echocardiogram is routinely performed in the midtrimester. We retrospectively reviewed the records of prenatally diagnosed PLSVC cases from 2010 to 2014. The ECG findings in infants with isolated PLSVC were compared with those of age-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five cases of fetal PLSVC were detected during the study period. It represents 0.36% (65/18 188) of all fetal echocardiographic examinations during the study period. Twenty cases (30.8%) had other cardiac anomalies, seven cases (10.8%) were associated with extracardiac anomalies, and four cases (6.2%) had both cardiac and extracardiac anomalies, whereas in 34 cases (52.3%), the anomaly was isolated. There were no significant differences in ECG parameters between neonates with PLSVC and normal controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of PLSVC should prompt careful search for associated anomalies. Isolated PLSVC is a benign vascular anomaly and the outcomes are excellent. © 2016 The Authors. Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Fetal Ultrasound, Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Division of Fetal Ultrasound, Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Yeong
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*