title: Effect of Cervical Length Recovery after Laser Surgery for Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.
abstract: Objective To evaluate the impact of polyhydramnios on preoperative cervical length and whether cervical length recovery after amnioreduction during selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (SFLP) is associated with a greater gestational age at delivery in pregnancies complicated by twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Methods Retrospective study of 50 pregnancies complicated by TTTS treated with SFLP between March 2010 and July 2014 at a single center. Preoperative maximum vertical pocket (MVP) was measured along with pre- and postoperative cervical length. A cervical length difference was calculated, with a difference of ± 3 mm considered no change. Results Only 12 (34%) patients showed an increased cervical length after amnioreduction during laser surgery. There was no statistical difference between either negative or positive change in cervical length groups and mean gestational age at delivery (p = 0.82). There also was no correlation between preoperative MVP and preoperative cervical length (p = 0.36) or gestational age at delivery (p = 0.77). However, there was a statistically shorter mean preoperative cervical length in patients who delivered <32 weeks of gestation (3.62 ± 0.66 vs. 4.20 ± 0.85 cm; p = 0.03). Conclusion Severity of polyhydramnios does not correlate with preoperative cervical length, and variability of the cervix postoperatively does not appear to affect gestational age at delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charlotte Fetal Care Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finneran
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Lorene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Temming
authors.affiliation: Dickson Advanced Analytics, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Templin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charlotte Fetal Care Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephenson
keywords: cervical length; laser; polyhydramnios; twin-twin transfusion syndrome