Prognosis for the fetus with congenital heart defects in the era of modern diagnostics and therapeutics

BACKGROUND: Prenatal detection of structural heart diseases and rhythm disturbance has become possible using echocardiography. Authors have already documented the high diagnostic accuracy of intrauterin diagnosis of heart diseases in our country as well. AIM OF THIS STUDY: To examine the prognosis of fetal cardiac diseases diagnosed by echocardiography in the institute between 1985-2001. METHODS: The prognosis of 223 (6.3%) cardiac anomalies found in 3468 fetal echocardiograms was assessed by postnatal echo/surgery/or autopsy. RESULTS: The authors detected cardiac anomalies in 153, rhythm disturbance in 70 fetuses. They could follow (mean 4.2 yrs) the 83% of patients by postnatal echo/surgery or autopsy. They lost 46 pts (36%) by elective termination, intrauterine death, or during the postnatal period. 83% of these pts had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, fibroeleastosis, or aortic stenosis. Right heart anomalies (tetralogy of Fallot, critical pulmonary stenosis etc.) showed good prognosis with early surgical or catheter intervention. Isolated fetal supraventricular tachycardias can be successfully treated prenatally, and fetal complete heart block by emergency postnatal permanent pacemaker implantation. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal echocardiography must be considered in our country also such a method which can influence the natural history of fetal heart diseases. The result of infant cardiac surgery also dramatically improved, so we think this knowledge is very important during the counselling.