Prenatal diagnosis of funisitis: two case reports

• Published in: Journal of medical ultrasonics (2001) Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 629 - 632
• Main Authors: Katsura, Daisuke, Takahashi, Yuichiro, Iwagaki, Shigenori, Chiaki, Rika, Asai, Kazuhiko, Koike, Masako, Yasumi, Shunsuke, Furuhashi, Madoka, Hara, Akira, Iwata, Hitoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01-10-2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Amniocentesis; Amniotic fluid; Antibiotics; Case Report; Case reports; Chorioamnionitis - diagnostic imaging; Chorioamnionitis - pathology; Clinical significance; Conflicts of interest; Consent; Dehydrogenases; Diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Female; Humans; Imaging; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Inflammation; Laboratories; Leukocytes; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Proteins; Radiology; Thymus gland; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Ultrasound; Ultrasound imaging; Veins & arteries; Vessels; Infection; Amnion; Chorioamnionitis; Prenatal diagnosis; Funisitis; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 1346-4523; 1613-2254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10396-018-0864-3

Acute funisitis is characterized by the infiltration of fetal neutrophils from the umbilical vessels into Wharton’s jelly and presents as fetal inflammation. However, no reports about its prenatal diagnosis using ultrasonography have been published. We encountered one case of oligohydramnios at 26 weeks and another case of threatened premature delivery at 27 weeks of gestation with ultrasonographic findings of non-uniform thickening of Wharton’s jelly, a heterogeneous internal echo, and a high echoic line of the umbilical vessel wall. Acute funisitis was diagnosed, and the postpartum histopathological examination revealed severe funisitis in both cases. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of prenatal diagnosis of funisitis determined using ultrasonography. When we find such ultrasonographic features under the circumstances of intrauterine infection, severe funisitis should be included in the differential diagnosis.