Fetal Non-Ovarian Abdominopelvic Cystic Lesions: A Single-Center Report

Abstract

Introduction: There is a paucity of reports describing the clinical course and likely postnatal outcomes of prenatally identified simple cystic abdominopelvic lesions which are not associated with the ovary. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the natural history and postnatal outcomes of prenatally discovered abdominopelvic cystic lesions seen at our center. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of all newborns with prenatally discovered non-ovarian simple cystic abdominal or pelvic lesions (September 2012–December 2018). Prenatal solid organ involvement, lesion size, and postnatal clinical outcomes are described. Results: Sixty-six patients with 68 cystic lesions were identified; 22 patients with 24 lesions met the defined study criteria and were included. Eleven (46%) resolved prenatally, while 5 (21%) resolved by 18 months of age. Of the 10 lesions associated with an organ, 4 (40%) resolved prenatally. Of the remaining 14 lesions not associated with a solid organ, 7 (50%) resolved prenatally. Seven lesions (29%) required postnatal surgical intervention. Larger maximum prenatal lesions tended toward postnatal surgical intervention (one-way ANOVA: p = 0.072). Conclusions: The majority of simple non-ovarian cystic abdominopelvic lesions at our center resolved in the perinatal period. Due to the low frequency of these lesions at fetal centers, a larger multicenter study based on a consistent monitoring protocol should be undertaken to better describe the resolution patterns of simple non-ovarian cystic lesions for improved prenatal counseling.