Fetal cardiac malposition: incidence and outcome of associated cardiac and extracardiac malformations

Cardiac Axis in Early Gestation and Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart defects represent the most common structural anomalies observed in the fetal population, and they are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The fetal cardiac axis, which indicates the orientation of the heart in relation to the chest wall, is formed by the angle between the anteroposterior axis of the chest and the interventricular septum of the heart. Studies conducted during the first trimester have demonstrated promising outcomes with respect to the applicability of cardiac axis measurement in fetuses with congenital heart defects as well as fetuses with extracardiac and chromosomal anomalies, which may result in improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. The main aim of this review article was to highlight the cardiac axis as a reliable and powerful marker for the detection of congenital heart defects during early gestation, including defects that would otherwise remain undetectable through the conventional four-chamber view.

Pentalogy of Cantrell Associated with Ectopia Cordis: A Case Report

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a congenital anomaly of the median mesodermal constructions with a poor prognosis. It is characterized by defects of the anterior diaphragm, the lower sternum, the abdominal wall, pericardium, and various congenital heart malformations. We present a case of ectopia cordis and Pentalogy of Cantrell in a newborn of a healthy 35-year-old woman with no history of embryotoxic exposure or smoking. The infant was first diagnosed with the anomaly in the second trimester of pregnancy and was delivered at 35 weeks of gestational age via a caesarian section. Shortly after birth, he was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to progressive respiratory failure, which ultimately, along with septicemia, led to infant death on the second day. In conclusion, the Pentalogy of Cantrell should be appropriately assessed for effective prenatal counseling and postnatal management with a multidisciplinary team; since infant survival assessment and early diagnosis give the parents the option of terminating the pregnancy.

D-transposition of the great arteries with right-sided pulmonary hypoplasia

Unilateral pulmonary agenesis or aplasia (UPA) in combination with congenital heart defects is rare and has not been reported in connection with transposition of the great arteries. This case demonstrated dextroposition of the fetal heart, and subsequent scans could not clearly visualize the right pulmonary artery. UPA should be considered in the workup and counseling for a family in the setting of fetal heart malposition, as there is a significant clinical impact.

Outcomes for Ectopia Cordis

OBJECTIVES

To utilize a large multicenter neonatal cohort to describe survival and clinical outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) or preterm infants with ectopia cordis.

STUDY DESIGN

Data were prospectively collected on 2 211 262 infants (born 2000-2017) from 845 US centers. Both VLBW (401-1500 g or 22-29 weeks of gestation) and non-VLBW (>1500 g and >29 weeks) infants had diagnoses or anatomic descriptors consistent with ectopia cordis and/or pentalogy of Cantrell. The primary outcome was neonatal survival, defined as hospital discharge or initial length of stay of ≥12 months.

RESULTS

In total, 180 infants had ectopia cordis, 135 (76%) with findings of pentalogy of Cantrell. VLBW infants comprised 52% of the population. VLBW mortality was 96% with 79% dying within 12 hours, compared with 59% and 36%, respectively, for non-VLBW. One-third of VLBW infants received life support compared with 65% of non-VLBW. Surgery was reported for 34% of VLBW and 68% of non-VLBW infants. Congenital heart disease was reported in 8% of VLBW and 36% of non-VLBW, with conotruncal abnormalities most common. Survival exceeded 50% for infants >2500 g and >37 weeks of gestation.

CONCLUSIONS

Survival of VLBW infants with ectopia cordis was poor and substantially worse compared with non-VLBW, with notable discrepancies in resuscitative efforts and surgical interventions. Although gestational age and weight strongly influence current survival, more detailed information regarding the severity of cardiac and noncardiac abnormalities is required to fully determine prognosis and inform counseling.

Diaphragmatic Hernia Associated With Absent Ductus Venosus and Anomalous Connection of an Obliterated Umbilical Vein to the Coronary Sinus

Umbilical vein anomalies are a rare congenital defect, which have been associated with absent ductus venosus, with few cases also involving a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. We describe a case of postnatal development of an anterior diaphragmatic hernia of Morgagni in a four-year-old patient diagnosed prenatally with mesocardia, absent ductus venosus with a large umbilical vein, a large secundum atrial septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Dextrocardia with Complex Congenital Heart Disease Using Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) and a Literature Review

Fetal dextrocardia is a type of cardiac malposition where the major axis from base to apex points to the right side. This condition is usually associated with a wide spectrum of complex cardiac defects. As a result, dextrocardia is conceptually difficult to understand and diagnose on prenatal ultrasound. The advantage of four-dimensional sonography with spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) is that this modality can facilitate fetal cardiac examination. A novel method known as fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE) allows automatic generation of nine standard fetal echocardiography views in normal hearts by applying intelligent navigation technology to STIC volume datasets. In fetuses with congenital heart disease, FINE is also able to demonstrate abnormal cardiac anatomy and relationships when there is normal cardiac axis and position. However, this technology has never been applied to cases of cardiac malposition. We report herein for the first time, a case of fetal dextrocardia and situs solitus with complex congenital heart disease in which the FINE method was invaluable in diagnosing multiple abnormalities and defining complex anatomic relationships. We also review the literature on prenatal sonographic diagnosis of dextrocardia (with an emphasis on situs solitus), as well as tricuspid atresia with its associated cardiac features.

The Fetus with Ectopia Cordis: Experience and Expectations from Two Centers

Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare congenital anomaly often associated with congenital heart disease (CHD). There is a lack of contemporary information on EC diagnosed prenatally. We sought to combine the experiences of two regional referral centers in order to evaluate current outcomes for EC. Clinical, echocardiographic features and perinatal outcomes of fetuses with EC managed at two large cardiac centers from 1995 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Seventeen fetuses with EC were diagnosed at a median gestational age of 23 weeks (range 17-36). There were 6 thoracic EC and 11 thoracoabdominal. Fifteen had associated CHD: 10 conotruncal defects, 2 tricuspid atresia, 1 aortic stenosis, 1 atrial septal defect, and 1 atrioventricular septal defect. There were 2 terminations of pregnancy, 2 fetal deaths, 2 lost to follow-up, and 11 live born. Mean gestational age at birth was 36.4 weeks (range 26-39). Three patients died shortly after birth with comfort care, and 8 were actively managed. Six patients underwent postnatal cardiac intervention and are currently alive with a mean follow-up of 7.3 years (range 1.4-11.4), 2 of them with chronic dependency on ventilatory support. Two patients without CHD died after attempted chest closure. When diagnosed in utero, a high proportion of pregnancy termination or fetal demise is expected. In our cohort, conotruncal anomalies were the most common associated CHD. Though mortality in actively managed patients was not as high as previously reported, and cardiac surgical intervention may be achieved, EC is still associated with high mortality and significant long-term morbidity.

MR imaging of fetal cardiac malposition and congenital cardiovascular anomalies on the four-chamber view

Fetal echocardiography is the method of choice to visualize the fetal congenital cardiovascular anomalies. However, there are some disadvantages. Fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to complement ultrasound in detecting congenital cardiovascular anomalies. This pictorial review draws on our experience about fetal cardiac MRI; it describes the four-chamber view on fetal cardiac MRI and important clues on an abnormal four-chamber view to the diagnosis of fetal congenital cardiovascular anomalies.

Utility of fetal magnetic resonance imaging in assessing the fetus with cardiac malposition

OBJECTIVE

Abnormal cardiac axis and/or malposition prompts evaluation of congenital heart disease; however, etiology may be difficult to clarify using obstetrical ultrasound or fetal echocardiography (echo) alone. We aimed to use fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a complementary tool to identify causes of cardiac malposition.

METHODS

Review of fetuses diagnosed with cardiac malposition by fetal ultrasound and echo was performed. Etiology was classified as either because of heterotaxy syndrome or extracardiac masses. Reclassification was then performed with fetal MRI findings. Results were compared with postnatal diagnoses.

RESULTS

Forty-two fetuses were identified as having abnormal cardiac axis and/or malposition. Twenty three of 42 cases (55%) had extracardiac anomalies, while 19 (45%) were because of heterotaxy. Twelve of 42 (29%) cases were reassigned by fetal MRI (five in heterotaxy group and seven in the lung anomaly group). Four cases (33%) had both cardiac disease and extracardiac masses, not previously recognized. Fetal MRI clarified heterotaxy subtype or removed heterotaxy diagnosis in five (26%) patients. Fetal MRI findings were confirmed in 8 of these 12 cases postnatally.

CONCLUSION

Fetal MRI is a useful complementary tool to define etiology of cardiac malposition in complex cases for informative prenatal counseling and planning. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Malformations Associated with Heterotaxy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used as an investigation during fetal life, particularly for assessment of intracranial masses, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, myelomeningocele, and abdominal masses. As the number of scans increases, so is the variety of congenital malformations being recognized. It is axiomatic that interpretation of the findings is enhanced when attention is paid to the likely findings in the setting of known syndromes, this information then dictating the need for additional acquisition of images. One such syndrome is so-called "visceral heterotaxy", in which there is typically an isomeric, rather than a lateralized, arrangement of the thoracic and abdominal organs. Typically associated with complex congenital cardiac malformations, heterotaxy can also involve the central nervous system, and produce pulmonary, gastrointestinal, immunologic, and genitourinary malformations. In this review, we discuss how these findings can be demonstrated using fetal MRI.

Diagnosis and outcome of pregnancies with prenatally diagnosed fetal dextrocardia

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidence, associated cardiac and extracardiac malformations and clinical outcome of fetuses with dextrocardia.

METHOD

A retrospective review of 3556 fetal echocardiograms between 2000 and 2011 revealed 39 cases of dextrocardia. Dextrocardia was defined as right-sided positioning of the fetal heart. Prenatal and postnatal records of the fetuses were reviewed.

RESULTS

The incidence was 1.1%. Of the 39 fetuses, 22 were primary dextrocardia and 17 were dextroposition. Diaphragmatic hernia was the most common cause of dextroposition with the incidence of 76%. Of the fetuses with dextroposition 35.5% had a cardiac anomaly. The survival rate of dextroposition was 31.2% and none of the survivors had an associated cardiac anomaly. Primary fetal dextrocardia was most common with situs solitus (45.4%), followed by situs ambiguous (36.3%) and then situs inversus totalis (18.1%). Structural cardiac malformations were found in 100%, 80% and 25% of fetuses with situs ambiguous, solitus and inversus, respectively. Of the dextroposition, 47.6% terminated pregnancy, 14.2% resulted in intrauterine death, 9.5% died after birth, and 28.5% survived.

CONCLUSION

A wide spectrum of complex cardiac malformations are associated with fetal dextrocardia. Fetal echocardiography enables detection of complex cardiac anomalies so that parents can be appropriately counselled.

Mitral valve repair in a patient with mesocardia

A 75-year-old man was referred for treatment of mitral valve prolapse secondary to tendon rupture. He had been receiving oral and inhaled corticosteroids for bronchial asthma and bronchial ectasia. Chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly with protrusion of the right atrium shadow. Computed tomography revealed dislocation and counterclockwise rotation of the heart with the apex of the heart located in the mid-thorax, indicating mesocardia. We believed that it would have been difficult to expose the mitral valve through a right-sided left atrial approach. Thus, we planned to perform mitral valve repair via a trans-septal approach. The right thoracotomy approach was not suitable because of respiratory dysfunction. After a median sternotomy, the left anterior descending coronary artery was identified just beneath the midline of the sternum. Even after decompression of the heart under cardiopulmonary bypass, we could not obtain a good view of the right side of the left atrium. By a transseptal approach with a self-retaining retractor and atrial hooks, we obtained adequate exposure of the mitral valve and performed the mitral valve repair uneventfully.

Pentalogy of cantrell with complete ectopia cordis in a fetus with asplenia

Cantrell's pentalogy (CP) is a rare, mainly sporadic spectrum of congenital midline thoracoabdominal defects that includes sternal anomalies, ventral diaphragmatic hernia, partial absence of the pericardium, supraumbilical abdominal wall defects, and congenital heart malformations. The approximate incidence is 1 in 100 000, with a 2∶1 male predominance. A 25-year-old pregnant woman was referred to the Prenatal Diagnosis Unit of the University Hospital of Padua for multiple congenital malformations at 21 weeks of gestation. A level 2 ultrasound scan was performed and confirmed the presence of multiple anomalies compatible with the diagnosis of CP associated with complete ectopia cordis. Fetal autopsy furthermore revealed asplenia, which usually presents as part of the heterotaxia spectrum. To our knowledge, an association of CP and complete ectopia cordis with asplenia has never been reported so far.

The role of fetal echocardiography in fetal intervention: a symbiotic relationship

In this review, the authors explore the role of noninvasive and invasive fetal interventions in fetal cardiovascular disease guided by observations at fetal echocardiography. They first review fetal cardiac lesions that may be ameliorated by fetal intervention and then review noncardiac fetal pathologic findings for which fetal echocardiography can provide important insight into the pathophysiology and aid in patient selection for and timing of intervention and postintervention surveillance.