Therapy by laser equatorial placental dichorionization for early-onset spontaneous twin anemia-polycythemia sequence

• Published in: Fetal diagnosis and therapy Vol. 35; no. 1; p. 65
• Main Authors: Ishii, Keisuke, Hayashi, Shusaku, Mabuchi, Aki, Taguchi, Takako, Yamamoto, Ryo, Murata, Masaharu, Mitsuda, Nobuaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01-02-2014
• Subjects: Adult; Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine; Female; Fetofetal Transfusion - diagnostic imaging; Fetofetal Transfusion - surgery; Fetofetal Transfusion - therapy; Fetoscopy; Humans; Laser Therapy; Pregnancy; Ultrasonography, Prenatal
• ISSN: 1421-9964
• DOI: 10.1159/000354985

We report a case of twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS) treated by fetoscopic laser equatorial placental dichorionization, also known as the 'Solomon technique', at 24 weeks of gestation. TAPS was present despite the absence of fetoscopically visualized chorionic anastomoses from the donor to the recipient twin. The goal of this procedure was to prevent post-laser TAPS in cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome. The surgery and subsequent intrauterine blood transfusion to the donor twin could result in the survival of both twins without hematologic or neurological complications. Following the surgery, a placental injection test revealed no residual anastomoses. At present, laser therapy is not always feasible for TAPS, primarily because of its difficulty. However, laser therapy using the Solomon technique could be a viable approach for early-onset TAPS, especially in difficult situations in which undetectable vascular anastomoses related to TAPS are present.