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Updated: Oct 4, 2026
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Value of the electronic scalpel (cut mode) in the evaluation of the fetal face
E Merz1, D Miric-Tesanic, C Welter
1Center for Diagnostic Ultrasound and Prenatal Therapy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55101 Mainz, Germany.
Objectives:
To evaluate the improvement of image quality and diagnostic value of fetal face examinations using the electric scalpel.
Methods:
A total of 232 cases were examined. The fetuses were separated into two groups: Group A, including normal fetuses (n = 152) and Group B, fetuses with facial pathology (n = 80). The fetuses were divided into eight subgroups according to gestational age (9-12 weeks, 13-16 weeks, 17-20 weeks, 21-24 weeks, 25-28 weeks, 29-32 weeks, 33-36 weeks and 37-40 weeks).
Results:
The number of cutting steps for the improvement of image quality ranged from 1 to 9 (mean value 3) in the group of normal fetuses and from 1 to 10 (mean value 3) in the group of fetuses with facial pathology. In the group of normal fetuses, superior image quality improvement was achieved in 68.4% of cases, moderate improvement in 28.9% and poor improvement in 2.6%. In the group of fetuses with facial pathology, high image quality improvement was obtained in 72.5% of cases, moderate improvement in 25.0% and insufficient improvement in 2.5%. There were no differences among the eight subgroups in the number of steps required relating to gestational age.
Conclusions:
The use of the electronic scalpel was associated with diagnostic improvement in 71.1% of cases in the group of normal fetuses, and in 75.0% in the group of fetuses with facial pathology.
