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Fetal cardiocentesis: a review of indications, risks, applications and technique

Albert P Sarno1, R Douglas Wilson

  • 1Maternal-Fetal Medicine Section, Perinatal Center, St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network, Bethlehem, Pa 18015, USA. apsarno@earthlink.net

Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy
|April 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Fetal cardiocentesis offers prenatal diagnosis and treatment options when other methods fail. However, its higher risk compared to cordocentesis necessitates careful consideration of benefits versus potential harm.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatology
  • Fetal Medicine
  • Interventional Cardiology

Background:

  • Fetal cardiocentesis is an invasive procedure.
  • Its applications in prenatal diagnosis and therapy are evolving.
  • Comparison with cordocentesis is essential for risk-benefit assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the indications for fetal cardiocentesis.
  • To explore its diverse applications in fetal medicine.
  • To detail the technique of fetal cardiocentesis.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of published literature.
  • Utilized PubMed database for case reports and series.
  • Focused on fetal cardiocentesis procedures.

Main Results:

  • Fetal cardiocentesis facilitates prenatal diagnosis, intravascular therapy, multifetal reduction, and in utero treatment of congenital heart disease.
  • It serves as an alternative when cordocentesis is not feasible.
  • Procedure-associated risks are higher than with cordocentesis.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal cardiocentesis is a viable option for fetal intravascular access and therapeutic interventions.
  • It is particularly useful when cordocentesis is unsuccessful or impossible.
  • The potential benefits must demonstrably outweigh the procedure-associated risks.
Abstract

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