Voluminous Fetal Chylous Ascites: A Case Of Complete Spontaneous Prenatal Regression
Chéreau, E., Lejeune, V., Gonzales, M., & Carbonne, B. (2007). Voluminous fetal chylous ascites: a case of complete spontaneous prenatal regression. Fetal diagnosis and therapy, 22(2), 81–84. https://doi.org/10.1159/000097101
View Original Source →Abstract
We report a case of isolated voluminous fetal ascites discovered during a routine fetal ultrasound at 22 weeks' gestation. Analysis of the fluid showed it to be chyliform and ruled out other causes of fetal ascites. Regular bimonthly ultrasound scans monitored its progressive diminution and then its disappearance. Examination showed the child to be normal at birth. Though the literature indicates that prognosis is usually favorable for infants with isolated fetal chylous ascites, spontaneous regression during pregnancy is an uncommon finding.
Case Details
Disease Location
Fetus
Personal Characteristics
Woman of 22 weeks gestation. Second pregnancy . Blood group o rhd+
Clinical Characteristics
Fetal ascites. The infant showed a thinned abdominal wall and a very enlarged abdominal circumference (ac).
Remission Characteristics
Ultrasound at 30 and 32 weeks found progressive diminution of the ascites. The 35-week ultrasound showed that the ascites had disappeared almost entirely. The ascites had disappeared completely at 36.5 weeks
Treatment & Mechanisms
Proposed Remission Mechanisms
Not discussed
Clinical Treatment
Needle aspiration and amniocentesis