[Prenatal diagnosis and intervention to fetal hydrothorax: five cases analysis]

To research the important of prenatal diagnosis and effect of intervention to fetal hydrothorax.

The cases of fetal hydrothorax (n=5) were obtained from the Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University between December 2014 and May 2015. All pregnancies were uncomplicated, excluded congenital organic and chromosomal abnormalities during prenatal diagnosis and with a 37 average gestational weeks. The case 1, 2, 4 were unilateral hydrothorax and the case 3, 5 were bilateral. We performed an antenatal thracocentesis to case 1, 2, 3. In case1, the hydrothorax increased rapidly after 5 days, and the patient underwent a cesarean section and ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT); in case 2, the fetal heart rate was decreased to 40-50 bpm suddenly during thracocentesis, and we performed an emergent cesarean section and EXIT for the patient; in case 3, the patient underwent thracocentesis and a meanwhile cesarean section and EXIT procedure. We performed a conservative management to case 4, 5, the hydrothorax resolved spontaneously during the pregnancy and after birth, both patients underwent cesarean section.

All fetuses were survived, the neonates of case 1, 2 and 3 underwent assited mechanical ventilation, thoracic close drainage, then discharged after hydrothorax resolved and feeding tolerance; in case 4, there was no respiratory distress and hospital treatment; in case 5, the neonate underwent assited mechanical ventilation and conservative management, the hydrothorax has resolved gradually.

The prenatal diagnosis and antenatal intervention (thracocentesis) may play an important role in fetal hydrothorax treatment. In clinical, we should choose different plan according to the gestation weeks and classification of hydrothorax of the patient.