Bahrain Medical Bulletin, Vol. 41, No. 2, June 2019
A Large Placental Chorioangioma with Good Perinatal Outcome
Amala Sunder, MBBS, D.OBG, MRCPI(OBG)II, MRCOG II* Veena Nagaraj, MD, FRCPath** Abdulla Darwish, FRCPath*** Nawal Dayoub, MD, MRCOG, MSc****
Chorioangioma is one of the most frequent benign neoplastic diseases of the placenta. Large chorioangioma is a rare primary placental tumor and usually measures greater than 5cm.
A twenty-six-year-old Filipina primigravida was seen at 29 weeks of gestation. At 37 weeks of gestation, she was noted to have a large 8×8 cm placental chorioangioma by ultrasound. She underwent elective cesarean section and delivered a live baby girl with good Apgar score. Histopathology of the placenta confirmed the diagnosis of 14×13×4 cm chorioangioma.
In this case, a large placental chorioangioma was found with good maternal and fetal outcome.
Bahrain Med Bull 2019; 41(2): 115 - 118
Placental tumors are classified into trophoblastic and non- These large tumors are prone to maternal complications and trophoblastic tumors. Chorioangiomas are the most prevalent adverse fetal outcomes due to abnormal vascular shunts and non-trophoblastic type of tumors. These tumors are a common vascular perfusions. Maternal complications include premature primary benign group1,2. The incidence of chorioangiomas labor, polyhydramnios, abruptio placenta, preeclampsia, approximately ranges from 0.5% to 1%1,2,3,4,5. Tumors that eclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage1,8,12. Fetal complications measure more than 5 cm are classified as large chorioangiomas. include preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal The occurrence varies in different studies between 1/2000- congestive cardiac failure, fetal hydrops, fetal anemia, 3500 births and 1/9000-50000 pregnancies3,5,6,7. However, fetal thrombocytopenia and intrauterine fetal death1,8,12,13. large chorioangiomas are rare. Most studies found a higher These vascular placental tumors and their relationship with prevalence in primigravida, female sex fetus, twin pregnancy, congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities elderly maternal age and other maternal morbidities, such as were documented in few studies8,14,15. Perinatal death of 30- diabetes and hypertension4,8. 40% was documented3,12. Prognosis varies according to the size of the tumor, the degree of the vascular shunts and maternal 8 The pathogenesis of this benign tumor is not well understood . and fetal complications6,12. Hypoxia and genetics are factors cited in some studies9,10,11. Histologically, these tumors are classified into angiomatous, The small size and asymptomatic tumors are usually managed degenerative and cellular. Angiomas are the most common conservatively with regular monitoring by ultrasound form. Malformation, abnormal vascularization, arterio- and assessment. Meanwhile, large tumors need frequent venous shunts, proliferation and perfusion of the vascular ultrasounds, Doppler studies for the assessment of vascular 8 system of the placentae lead to the prenatal complications . shunts, vascularity of the tumors, and middle cerebral artery, Small chorioangiomas are mostly undiagnosed unless routine fetal cordocentesis and fetal echocardiogram to assess the histopathological examination of placentae is performed. Small fetal complications3,4. Management could be amnio-reduction, chorioangiomas are symptomless and mostly do not cause any intravascular transfusion, endoscopic laser coagulation, maternal and fetal adverse events. On the other hand, larger and embolization, interstitial laser therapy and injection of chorioangiomas are often diagnosed during a routine antenatal alcohol12. The high rate of perinatal mortality justified the ultrasound scan, mostly seen as a hypoechoic mass which intrauterine interventions16. Most studies confirmed the need contains anechoic cystic spaces in-between. The diagnosis for close observation16. Recurrence of chorioangiomas is not accuracy could be confirmed by MRI imaging. Differential well recognized 8,17. diagnosis includes partial molar pregnancy, retroplacental hematomas, submucous fibroid, and placental teratoma1. The aim of this presentation is to report a case of large Chorangiosis and chorangiomatosis are documented as a chorioangioma with its maternal and fetal outcome. differential diagnoses because of their similar nature8.
* Senior Resident Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ** Chief Resident Department of Pathology *** Consultant Department of Pathology **** Consultant Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Banoon Assisted Reproduction Center Bahrain Defence Force Hospital – Royal Medical Services P.O. Box 28743 Kingdom of Bahrain E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
115 Bahrain Medical Bulletin, Vol. 41, No. 2, June 2019
THE CASE showed the placenta to have a benign vascular tumor composed of small capillary-sized blood vessels lined by plump A twenty-six-year-old Filipina primigravida presented at endothelial cells with a slight increase in mitotic figures. The 29 weeks of gestation. The antenatal scan revealed a single tumor involves approximately 60% of the tissue volume, see active fetus with parameters corresponding to gestational figure 7, 8, 9. age of 29 weeks of gestation. The estimated fetal weight was 1200 grams, which was an average for the gestational age. Postnatal follow-up after 6 weeks, the mother was doing well The placenta was reported to be not low-lying and no mass and breastfeeding. The baby was healthy weighing 4900 grams was mentioned. The patient was advised a detailed fetal at 2 months of age. anomaly scan, but she declined. At 37 weeks, ultrasound (US) revealed fetus with cephalic presentation. The estimated fetal weight was 2.5 kg. The amniotic fluid index was normal and no evidence of cardiomegaly, fetal ascites or hydrops. The placenta was fundal and it showed the rounded hypoechoic mass approximately 8 cm x 8 cm with anechoic cystic areas in- between near the cord insertion; these features are suggestive of a large chorioangioma, see figures 1,2,3. Umbilical arterial (UA) Doppler flow indices were normal, see figure 4.