Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava in Fetuses: An Autopsy Series.

OBJECTIVE

To review fetal autopsy reports with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) and identify its associations.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Autopsy reports of all fetuses diagnosed with PLSVC in our center from January 2011 to December 2015 were reviewed. Fetuses less than 15 weeks gestational age along with autolyzed and damaged hearts were excluded from the study. The study group was compared with controls during this period.

RESULTS

Prenatal ultrasound detection rate of PLSVC was 13.06%. All the cases had associated anomalies of which 96% had extra cardiac anomalies and 67% had intrinsic cardiac defects among which septal defects were most common (39.6%). Anomalies of cardiovascular, respiratory, genitourinary and musculoskeletal, hypoplastic thymus and single umbilical artery were significantly higher in the study group.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes on the importance of improving the technical skill for imaging the three-vessel view as PLSVC seems to have significant associations.