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Biomedical subjects

M Hansmann

Publications and source records attributed to M Hansmann.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Intrauterine mediastinal teratoma associated with non-immune hydrops fetalis.

We describe a rare case of non-immune hydrops fetalis caused by mediastinal teratoma. The sonographic appearance was that of a mixed cystic and solid mass in the antero-superior mediastinum. The teratoma, on post mortem, extended cranially to the upper part of the thyroid, exerting pressure and causing deviation of the trachea, oesophagus, and aortic arch. The pathogenesis of non-immune hydrops fetalis suggests obstruction of venous return caused by this tumour.

Adult↗

Fetal two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography (colour flow mapping) and its place in prenatal diagnosis.

One hundred and fifty fetuses between 16 and 38 weeks of gestation were studied by fetal echocardiography using colour-coded two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. Two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler spectral analyses were also performed. In 14 fetuses, structural and/or functional abnormalities were detected. Abnormalities were correctly ruled out in all the other fetuses. The advantages of two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography are (1) rapid screening for flow abnormalities in the fetal heart, and thus shortening of the Doppler examination time; (2) rapid diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular stenosis, and abnormal shunting of blood across the interatrial and interventricular septa; and (3) facilitation of the diagnosis of complex congenital heart defects which in certain cases is possible only by using two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography.

Coronary Circulation↗

Rate of chromosomal aberrations in prenatally detected hydrops fetalis and hygroma colli.

Chromosome analyses were carried out in a series of 775 fetuses with morphological abnormalities diagnosed by ultrasound. Among these cases, 57 demonstrated non-immune hydrops fetalis with hygroma colli (group 1) and a further 116 non-immune hydrops fetalis without hygroma colli (group 2). Different chromosome abnormalities were found in 54.5% of cases of group 1 where chromosome analyses could be performed, and in 27.6% of cases of group 2. The most common aberrations were monosomy X and trisomy 21.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

[2-dimensional color coded Doppler echocardiography of the fetus: physiologic and pathologic findings].

The fetuses of 352 patients at between 16 and 38 weeks of gestation were studied by using two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography (2-DDE). In 32 fetuses, structural and/or functional abnormalities were detected. The advantages of 2-DDE are, in particular, rapid screening for flow abnormalities and, thus, shortening of the Doppler examination time. Further benefits include a rapid diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular stenosis, and abnormal shunting of blood across the cardiac septa. The diagnosis of complex heart defects is facilitated by and, in certain cases, only possible at all using 2-DDE.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Fetal complete heart block: antenatal diagnosis, significance and management.

Complete heart block was diagnosed prenatally in 21 fetuses. Associated structural cardiac defects were present in 18 fetuses, in particular complete atrioventricular canal with atrial isomerism (5 cases), and 'corrected' transposition of the great arteries (4 cases). Maternal systemic lupus erythematosus was proved in only one case. In 11 fetuses, intra-uterine congestive heart failure with the signs of non-immune hydrops fetalis occurred. In all 11 fetuses, the hydrops was associated with a cardiac defect, in particular complete atrioventricular canal with atrial isomerism in 5 cases. A review of the literature confirms that only the association of complete heart block and cardiac malformation can cause intra-uterine congestive heart failure, whereas in the case of fetal complete heart block without cardiac malformation or with prenatally hemodynamically insignificant cardiac malformation, congestive heart failure is rare. Only 30% of newborns with complete heart block have associated cardiac malformations. In our series, however, 86% of the fetuses with complete heart block had cardiac malformations. The most important reason for this percentage discrepancy is that almost all fetuses with associated severe cardiac defects, in particular atrioventricular canal defects, develop heart failure which frequently results in prenatal death. Thus, fetal deaths are not included in pediatric statistics. Nevertheless, fetuses with isolated complete heart block generally do not develop heart failure and in almost all of the cases are born alive.

Adult↗

[Prenatal diagnosis of severe tricuspid valve insufficiency in Ebstein anomaly with pulmonary valve atresia by 2-dimensional color coded Doppler echocardiography].

By the application of all methods of fetal echocardiography the prenatal diagnosis and a prognostically correct assessment was reached in a severe case of Ebstein's anomaly of tricuspid valve associated with pulmonary atresia, severe tricuspid regurgitation, and a hypoplastic main pulmonary artery. It is demonstrated that only the application of two-dimensional color-coded Doppler-echocardiography followed by a spectral-Doppler-echocardiography can result in an accurate evaluation of hemodynamical alterations and thus in the prognostic assessment in the reported case.

Adult↗

[Emergency separation of a neonatal xypho-omphalopagus twin].

We report on the emergency separation of xyphophagus-omphalophagus conjoined twins. The twins were delivered by Caesarean section in the 35th week of pregnancy. They were conjoined between the omphalus and xyphoid process and had a fusioned common liver. All other organs including the peritoneal cavities were separate. One of the twins showed normal development, whereas the other was multifocally deformed with microcephalus, complex vitium cordis, microintestine and malformation of the extremities. Due to the extremely poor general condition of the deformed twin immediate emergency separation was mandatory even before completing the diagnosis of circulatory condition and liver formation. The deformed twin died during the operation and the fully developed twin on the 7th day after the operation after cerebral haemorrhage with haemorrhagic diathesis. The report gives a detailed description of the specific foetal circulatory condition and the problem of a postoperatively occurring partial necrosis of the liver.

Cardiovascular Abnormalities↗

New therapeutic aspects in nonimmune hydrops fetalis based on four hundred and two prenatally diagnosed cases.

In 402 cases with prenatally diagnosed nonimmune hydrops fetalis, cardiovascular diseases were present in 18%, chromosomal disorders in 11%, and hematologic disorders of the fetus in 10%. In the last 3 years, fetal blood sampling has become a very important part of the differential diagnosis of nonimmune hydrops (chromosomal, hematologic and metabolic disorders, intrauterine infection). Also, transabdominal placental biopsy has been used for rapid karyotyping. A detailed fetal echocardiogram is absolutely necessary in all cases of nonimmune hydrops, in particular spectral and color Doppler flow mapping. Thus, congenital heart diseases can be accurately diagnosed. Further, in other causes of hydrops regurgitation of atrioventricular valves may be present in advanced stage. New important methods of intrauterine therapy are in particular: intravascular blood substitution in anemia, and the intravascular application of antiarrhythmic drugs in tachyarrhythmia. The overall survival rate was 19.4% (78 of 402); 4.0% (6 of 149) before 24 weeks of gestation, and 28.5% (72 of 253) after this age of gestation. The majority of survivors were in the tachyarrhythmia, hematologic disorder, isolated ascites and hydro-/chylothorax groups (53 of 78 survivors, 68%). In the other groups, the survival rate was generally low.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗

Continuous fetal intrapartum monitoring in supraventricular tachycardia by atraumatic measurement of transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension.

A case of premature beats and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia without resulting congestive heart failure was diagnosed in a fetus of 38 weeks of gestation by echocardiography. Transplacental antiarrhythmic therapy was initiated, but a complete cardioversion was not achieved. Due to these arrhythmias adequate fetal heart rate monitoring during labor was not possible. By using continuous transcutaneous measurement of fetal carbon dioxide tension the fetus was delivered spontaneously, having been adequately monitored in spite of the effect on the fetal heart rate of the arrhythmias.

Adult↗

Artificial instillation of amniotic fluid as a new technique for the diagnostic evaluation of cases of oligohydramnios.

In cases of severe oligohydramnios, sonographic diagnosis is hampered by poor visibility and by increased fetal flexion. Therefore, 74 artificial instillations of amniotic fluid were performed in 50 pregnancies by sonographic guidance. Fetal diseases included Potter's syndrome, obstructive uropathy, cystic kidneys (20 cases); Meckel's syndrome, C. de Lange syndrome, cytomegaly fetopathy (1 case each); VATER association (2 cases); triploidy (5 cases); severe intrauterine growth retardation (8 cases); and premature rupture of membranes (12 cases). By improved sonographic visibility and the observation of fetal behaviour (drinking, filling of stomach and bladder, voiding of bladder after artificial instillation of amniotic fluid), the fetal anatomy could be studied more accurately, malformations could be identified or excluded, and bladder function could be examined. Thus, differentiation between fetuses without functioning kidneys and those with severe intrauterine growth retardation becomes possible. Further, re-aspiration on the day following instillation permitted determination of the karyotype. Finally, the artificial instillation of amniotic fluid is a hazardous intervention (rupture of membranes, labour) and should be reserved only for a small number of selected cases with diagnostically unclear oligohydramnios. For these cases, it seems to be the method of choice permitting a variety of diagnostic information to be obtained.

Administration, Intravaginal↗

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. Problems of prenatal diagnosis.

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is characterized by different proportions of cystic dilated collecting ducts invariably associated with congenital hepatic fibrosis. Because of the nearly regular arrangement of nephrons and collecting ducts, disturbances have been postulated to act rather late on embryological grounds. Prenatal diagnoses seem to confirm this observation, as can be demonstrated in our cases and those reported in the literature. Increased echogenicity and renal enlargement are the main ultrasonographic signs of ARPKD; oligohydramnios is characteristic but not always present. Repeated sonographic measurements of the kidney length seem to be the most useful parameter. As differential diagnoses, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease as well as Meckel syndrome have to be taken into consideration. The prognosis of cases with oligohydramnios is usually poor. In genetic counselling, the possibility of prenatal diagnosis in the second trimester of pregnancy should be given with caution.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Diastrophic dysplasia: a specific prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound.

In a pregnant woman without increased genetic risk, the presence of distrophic dysplasia of the fetus was diagnosed sonographically at 31 weeks' gestation and definitively distinguished from other skeletal dysplasias. In all prenatal diagnosis of diastrophic dysplasia reported so far, this autosomal recessive congenital condition had occurred in the family's previous children and this made the diagnoses of fetal diastrophic dysplasia easier. The reported case was diagnosed due to evidence of an extreme shortening of all long bones of the extremities associated with other skeletal deformities which, taken as a whole, are typical of this syndrome: micrognathia, cervical kyphosis, persistent extension limitation in elbow and knee joints, club feet, ulnar diviation of hands, shortened phalanges, and, in particular, abduction of thumbs ('hitchhiker thumbs') and big toes.

Adult↗

Management of quintuplet pregnancy by selective embryocide.

Selective embryocide was performed as a two-stage procedure in a patient with a quintuplet pregnancy in the first trimester. No complications occurred, and the patient was delivered of healthy twins at term. This procedure may be offered to selected patients with pregnancies with greater than five embryos.

Abortion, Induced↗

Prenatal diagnosis and management in fetuses with cystic hygromata colli.

We report on 45 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed bilateral cystic hygromata colli by ultrasound. Two of the 45 cases involved a twin pregnancy with only one fetus showing hygromata colli. In 2 cases there was only isolated hygromata colli. The other 43 cases showed the signs of non-immune hydrops fetalis. The cytogenetic findings were: 9 fetuses with Turner syndrome, 1 fetus with Turner mosaicism, 1 fetus with trisomy 18, 6 fetuses with trisomy 21, 12 fetuses with normal karyotype, and 16 fetuses with a failed chromosome culture. In fetuses with Turner syndrome and normal karyotype the sonographic findings were similar: massive bilateral hygromata colli, substantial fluid accumulations in skin and body cavities, oligohydramnios and intra-uterine growth retardation. In the cases with trisomy 21, the relative size of the hygromata colli was smaller. Intra-uterine growth retardation and oligohydramnios were not observed. The sole survivor of our group (elective pregnancy interruption: 30 cases; intra-uterine death: 14 cases) (karyotype: 46,XY) presented sonographically with massive ascites, a moderate cystic hygroma, and appropriate fetal development, and a normal amniotic fluid quantity. These findings are analysed in order to provide recommendations for prenatal diagnosis, prenatal management and genetic counselling of the couples concerned.

Adult↗

[Non-immunologically-induced hydrops fetalis in complete atrioventricular block of the fetus. A summary of 11 prenatally diagnosed cases].

In 11 of 21 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed complete heart block, congestive heart failure with signs of non-immune hydrops fetalis was seen. In all 11 fetuses, cardiac malformations were present: complete atrioventricular canal with levocardia, situs inversus viscerum, and polysplenia: 5 cases; tricuspid atresia with situs inversus viscerum, endocardial fibroelastosis, common atrium with aortic valve atresia, hypoplastic left heart, atrial septal defect of secundum type: one case each. All these cardiac malformations can also cause intrauterine heart failure without heart block except hypoplastic left heart and atrial septal defect. A review of the literature confirms, that only the association between complete heart block and cardiac malformation--in particular AV-canal and endocardial fibroelastosis--can cause an intrauterine congestive heart failure, whereas in the case of fetal complete heart block without cardiac malformation or with prenatally hemodynamically insignificant cardiac malformations--in particular "corrected" transposition of great arteries--a congestive heart failure is rare.

Echocardiography↗