Chorioangioma: a single tertiary care center retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Fetal Medicine
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• Placental chorioangioma is a rare condition with limited management guidelines.
• Existing evidence primarily consists of case reports, highlighting a need for more comprehensive data.
• Controversies exist regarding the optimal invasive fetal therapy for placental chorioangioma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the natural antenatal history of pregnancies complicated by placental chorioangioma.
• To analyze maternal and fetal complications associated with placental chorioangioma.
• To evaluate the therapeutic modalities employed for placental chorioangioma.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study conducted at a single center (King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center) from January 2010 to December 2019.
• Inclusion criteria: pregnancies with ultrasound features or histological confirmation of chorioangioma.
• Data collected from medical records, including ultrasound and histopathology reports; literature review of 32 articles.

Main Results:

• Eleven cases of placental chorioangioma identified over a 10-year period.
• Ultrasound detected 7 out of 11 cases, enabling fetal surveillance.
• Interventions included radiofrequency ablation, intrauterine transfusion, vascular embolization, and conservative management with ultrasound surveillance.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound is the gold standard for prenatal diagnosis and follow-up of placental chorioangioma.
• Tumor size and vascularity are critical factors for maternal-fetal complications and intervention success.
• Fetoscopic laser photocoagulation and embolization show promise for fetal survival, but further research is needed.