Heterotaxy Syndrome with Increased Nuchal Translucency and Normal Karyotype Associated with Complex Systemic Venous Return. Ultrasound Diagnosis with Autopsy Correlation

Abstract

Background: Prenatal ultrasound (US) detection of heterotaxy syndrome can be challenging, especially in identifying cardiovascular and associated anomalies. We present a new case of heterotaxy syndrome with anomalous systemic venous return (ASVR) fully displayed at autopsy. Case report: Left heterotaxy syndrome was diagnosed in a 19 weeks’ of gestation fetus with right-sided stomach. The heart showed both ventricles with left morphology, a large ventricular septal defect, persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus, ASVR with interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) and azygous continuation. Autopsy dissection further identified the azygous draining into the left lower pulmonary vein (LLPV). Prenatal a-CGH on villous sampling showed 22q13.1 microduplication inherited from the father, not contributory to the phenotype. Conclusion/discussion: Heterotaxy syndrome requires US accuracy for anomaly identification, as they allow legal termination of pregnancy. Our case is unusual as IVC drained into the azygous vein and then into the LLPV.

Keywords:

• Prenatal diagnosis
• ultrasound
• fetal echocardiography
• left isomerism
• anomalous systemic venous return

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.