Effects of two different venous drainage patterns on the prognosis of fetal pulmonary sequestration

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effect of two different venous drainage patterns on the prognosis of fetal pulmonary sequestration(PS). Methods Sixty cases of fetal PS with confirmed venous drainage diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound were retrospectively analyzed. Changes of the volumes of PS lesions and the clinical outcomes were compared between two different venous drainage patterns. Results Among the total 64 cases, 34 cases were pulmonary venous drainage and 30 cases were systemic venous drainage. There was no case combined with any abnormality in pulmonary venous drainage group; whereas, 6 cases combined with other abnormalities in systemic venous drainage group, between which significant difference was noted(P=0.02). In pulmonary venous drainage group, there was no significant difference in the volumes of PS lesions between at 20-24 weeks' gestational age(WGA) and at 24+ 1-30 WGA(P>0.05); but not between at 24+ 1-30 WGA or at 20-24 WGA and at 30+ 1-39 WGA(P 0.05). Postnatal respiratory symptoms and postnatal surgery rates were similar between the two groups(P>0.05). Conclusions PS with systemic venous drainage is more likely combined with other abnormalities than PS with pulmonary venous drainage. The lesion volumes of PS with pulmonary venous drainage decreas remarkably during the middle-late pregnancy. Nevertheless, the clinical postnatal outcomes are both favorable in the two groups. Key words: Ultrasonography, prenatal; Broncho pulmonary sequestration; Fetal; Venous drainage; Prognosis