Antenatal diagnosis and management of cystic hygroma with hydrops fetalis

Abstract

Cystic hygroma is a congenital thin-walled cyst that contains lymphatic fluids. Ultrasonography has helped in detecting more and more cases of cystic hygroma with fetal hydrops. Fetal hydrops and cystic hygroma can be diagnosed in the first and second trimesters of gestation and are associated with a higher incidence of aneuploidy and have higher mortality rate. The mortality rate of cystic hygroma diagnosed before 30 weeks is 93%, and 84% of those are associated with progressive non-immune hydrops. We present three case series of cystic hygroma progressing to hydrops fetalis.

Keywords

• aneuploidy
• chromosomal abnormalities
• cystic hygroma
• non-immune hydrops