Diagnosis and treatment of foetal heart failure: foetal echocardiography and foetal hydrops.
Foetal echocardiography has progressed to be able to diagnose many forms of CHD and to assess the prognosis of cardiac lesions based on their anatomy and presentation in utero. This article outlines a straightforward method for the rapid evaluation of foetus that may have congestive heart failure with or without hydrops and for the differentiation of the pre-hydropic state from normal. The presence of signs of foetal heart failure, such as cardiomegaly or valvular regurgitation, gives clues to the aetiology of hydrops. The assessment of the prognosis of hydrops foetalis can be difficult but can be aided by the use of the cardiovascular profile score. Once identified, the neurohumoral effects of foetal heart failure can be ameliorated using transplacental digoxin if the hydrops has not progressed.
['Huhta|James C|JC|']
D006332:Cardiomegaly D002316:Cardiotonic Agents D004077:Digoxin D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color D005260:Female D005318:Fetal Heart D006333:Heart Failure D006801:Humans D015160:Hydrops Fetalis D011247:Pregnancy D011379:Prognosis D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
Foetal CHD congestive heart failure hydrops foetalis Doppler echocardiography