[Clinical characteristics and pathologic study of placental chorioangioma]

To describe the clinical characteristics and gross picture of placental chorioangioma.

Clinicopathologic data from twelve cases of placental chorioangioma were retrospectively studied.

(1) In twelve cases pathologically diagnosed as placental chorioangioma, five cases were consistent with the clinical diagnosis; two cases were misdiagnosed as placental abruption; one case was misdiagnosed as lipoma; one case was misdiagnosed as placental cyst; and three cases were missed. Color Doppler ultrasound examination was performed in four cases ante partum, in which two cases were diagnosed correctly and two cases were missed. (2) Premature labor occurred in three cases of chorioangioma, two of which were associated with polyhydramnios. Two were complicated with pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome. Fetal death occurred in two cases and fetal abnormality in one case and neonatal asphyxia in four cases. (3) Placental chorioangiomas of all cases ranged from 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm to 11 cm x 8 cm x 8 cm in size. There was single tumor in nine cases and two tumors in three cases. The tumor appeared deep red in six cases, grayish red in three cases, pale yellow in one case, partial deep red and partial gray white in one case, partial deep red and partial pale yellow in one case.

Placental chorioangioma can induce several complications such as premature labor, fetal death, polyhydramnios and neonatal asphyxia. Color Doppler is helpful to differential diagnosis of placental masses particularly placental chorioangioma, though the later is difficult to diagnose ante partum. Placental chorioangioma is varied in size with deep red in appearance for most of them and maybe yellow or gray white due to mixed with other tissues or lack of blood supply.