Decrease in high human chorionic gonadotropin in twin-twin transfusion syndrome following fetoscopic laser surgery.

Masachi Hanaoka, Satoshi Hayashi, Mari Saito, Mineto Morita, Haruhiko Sago

Department of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Fetal diagnosis and therapy 2011

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) before and after fetoscopic laser surgery and to clarify the association between TTTS and hCG. The concentration of maternal serum hCG was measured before fetoscopic laser surgery and 2 and 4 weeks after laser surgery in 120 patients diagnosed with TTTS. The preoperative serum concentration of hCG was 6.34 multiples of the median (MoM; interquartile range 3.52-9.86). The concentration of hCG was higher in TTTS of Quintero stage III or IV (7.17 MoM, range 4.21-11.0) compared to stage I or II (3.37 MoM, range 2.35-7.74). When laser surgery for TTTS was effective, hCG gradually decreased to less than half the preoperative concentration 2 weeks after laser surgery, and the concentration was further reduced to within the normal range at 4 weeks. However, the concentration of hCG in 3 cases with TTTS recurrence did not decrease. A close association was observed between the concentration of hCG and the condition of TTTS. A change in the concentration of hCG after laser surgery could be a useful marker to judge the effectiveness of laser surgery in TTTS. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Citation

Masachi Hanaoka, Satoshi Hayashi, Mari Saito, Mineto Morita, Haruhiko Sago. Decrease in high human chorionic gonadotropin in twin-twin transfusion syndrome following fetoscopic laser surgery. Fetal diagnosis and therapy. 2011;30(3):189-93