Review

PRENATAL ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF ACARDIAC TWIN

  • Yagmur Minareci
  • Pinar Çakmak
  • Perran Moröy
  • Elif Gül Yapar
  • Leyla Mollamahmutoglu
  • Nuri Danisman

Turk J Obstet Gynecol 2006;3(1):73-78

Acardiac twinning is a rare complication of monozygotic twin gestation occurring in 1/35,000 pregnancies, in 1/100 of all monozygotic twins and 1/30 monozygotic triplets. Twin condition is characterized by partial or complete lack of development of the heart in one of the twins, and requires that the normal twin (pump twin) provides circulation for itself as well as the acardiac sibling (recipient twin) by means of reverse circulation through large artery-to-artery and vein-to-vein anastomoses. The acardiac twin is grossly abnormal and the outcome is invariably fatal. Perinatal mortality for the normal twin is about 50-70%, as a result of congestive heart failure, polyhydramnios and preterm delivery. In this report, we present a case of acardiac twin prenatally diagnosed by ultrasound. The principal sonographic features for prenatal diagnosis and the clinical management are briefly discussed.a

Keywords: acardiac acephalic twin, clinical management, prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis