Biomaterial Database

[Pathology of the placenta. XI. Feto-fetal transfusion syndrome]. 1992

P Emmrich

Institut für Pathologische Anatomie, Bereiches Medizin, Universität Leipzig, Deutschland.

An account is given in this part of the series of placental alterations in the foeto-foetal transfusion syndrome of monochorial twin pregnancies. Arteriovenous or less often arterio-arterial anastomoses between the two parts of the placenta were found to be conditions for such foeto-foetal transfusion. Blood is discharged on the foetal side from one twin to the other, with one of the twins being adversely affected in growth and general development (donor), which may be as bad as acardia in case of very early onset of transfusion. The other twin (recipient) will undergo better development but will as well be impaired by cardiac hypertrophy and other organic lesions due to excessive inflow of blood. The placenta of the donor--quite often meeting intra-uterine death--usually is smaller than that of the recipient. It is severely anaemic and, additionally, may be of inadequate maturity. The placenta of the recipient may exhibit strongly pronounced hyperaemia, up to A and B angiomatosis. The author describes two of his own cases, with reference being made to morphological findings.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010920	Placenta	A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).	Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D005260	Female		Females
D005314	Embryonic and Fetal Development	Morphological and physiological development of EMBRYOS or FETUSES.	Embryo and Fetal Development,Prenatal Programming,Programming, Prenatal
D005330	Fetofetal Transfusion	Passage of blood from one fetus to another via an arteriovenous communication or other shunt, in a monozygotic twin pregnancy. It results in anemia in one twin and polycythemia in the other. (Lee et al., Wintrobe's Clinical Hematology, 9th ed, p737-8)	Cross-Transfusion, Intrauterine,Intrauterine Cross-Transfusion,Twin Transfusion,Twin Transfusion Syndrome,Twin-to-Twin Transfusion,Fetal Transfusion Syndrome,Fetofetal Transfusion Syndrome,Twin Twin Transfusion Syndrome,Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome,Cross Transfusion, Intrauterine,Fetal Transfusion Syndromes,Fetofetal Transfusion Syndromes,Fetofetal Transfusions,Intrauterine Cross Transfusion,Intrauterine Cross-Transfusions,Syndrome, Fetal Transfusion,Syndrome, Fetofetal Transfusion,Syndrome, Twin Transfusion,Syndrome, Twin-to-Twin Transfusion,Transfusion Syndrome, Fetal,Transfusion Syndrome, Fetofetal,Transfusion Syndrome, Twin,Transfusion Syndrome, Twin-to-Twin,Transfusion, Fetofetal,Transfusion, Twin,Transfusion, Twin-to-Twin,Twin Transfusion Syndromes,Twin Transfusions,Twin to Twin Transfusion,Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome,Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndromes,Twin-to-Twin Transfusions
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man