Management of large placental chorioangioma: two-port laser approach for fetal intervention

There is a paucity of literature providing evidence-based guidelines for the management of large placental chorioangioma (≥ 4 cm in diameter). The objectives of this study were to compare outcomes between patients managed expectantly and those undergoing in-utero intervention and to describe the different in-utero techniques used for cessation of blood flow to the tumor and the associated outcome.

This was a retrospective cohort study of 34 patients referred for the management of large placental chorioangioma in a single center between January 2011 and December 2022, who were managed expectantly or underwent in-utero intervention. In-utero intervention was performed when the fetus developed any signs of impending compromise, including high combined cardiac output (CCO), worsening polyhydramnios or abnormal fetal Doppler velocimetry findings. Interventions included radiofrequency ablation (RFA), interstitial laser ablation (ILA) and single-port or two-port fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP). Treatment selection was dependent on the proximity of the tumor to the umbilical cord insertion (UCI) and placental location. The two-port technique was performed in patients with a chorioangioma with large feeding vessels (≥ 3 mm) located in the posterior placenta, in which one port was used for occlusion using bipolar forceps and the other port was used for laser photocoagulation of the feeding vessels downstream. The single-port technique was used for chorioangioma with small feeding vessels (< 3 mm) located in the posterior placenta. ILA or RFA was performed in cases with an anterior placenta. Supportive treatments, including amnioreduction and intrauterine transfusion (IUT), were performed for worsening polyhydramnios and suspected fetal anemia based on middle cerebral artery Doppler flow studies, respectively. Comparative statistical analysis between cases undergoing expectant management vs in-utero intervention was performed. Descriptive details were provided for patients who underwent in-utero intervention.

Thirty-four cases of large chorioangioma were evaluated, of which 25 (73.5%) were managed expectantly and nine (26.5%) underwent intervention. The frequency of polyhydramnios was significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the expectant-management group (66.7% vs 8.0%, P < 0.001). The live-birth rate among expectantly managed cases with large chorioangioma was significantly higher compared with that in cases that underwent in-utero intervention (96.0% vs 62.5%, P = 0.01). In the intervention group, preoperative CCO was elevated in all cases with available information and preoperative hydrops was present in 33.3% (3/9) of cases. One patient experienced fetal demise following IUT prior to planned FLP. Among the remaining eight patients, four underwent two-port FLP, two underwent single-port FLP, one underwent ILA and one underwent both ILA and RFA. All three cases in which hydrops was present at the time of intervention resulted in fetal demise.

In-utero interventions aimed at cessation of blood flow in the feeding vessels are a therapeutic option for the management of cases with large chorioangioma. The two-port percutaneous technique appears to improve the efficiency of FLP when a large chorioangioma with large feeding vessels is located in the posterior placenta. We propose that in-utero interventions for large chorioangioma should be initiated prior to the development of fetal hydrops. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.