105 fetuses between 16 and 38 weeks of gestation were studied by fetal echocardiography using color-coded two-dimensional Doppler-echocardiography (2-DDE). Two-dimensional, M-mode, and spectral-Doppler analyses were also performed. In 11 fetuses, structural and/or functional abnormalities were detected. Abnormalities were correctly excluded in all other fetuses. The advantages of the 2-DDE are, in particular: rapid screening for flow abnormalities in the fetal heart and, thus, shortening of the Doppler-examination time; furthermore, a rapid diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular stenosis and abnormal shunting of blood across the interatrial and interventricular septa; the diagnosis of complex congenital heart defects is facilitated by and, in certain case, only possible using 2-DDE.
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia causing an intrauterine congestive heart failure was diagnosed in a fetus at 33 week's gestation. After maternal digitalization the tachycardias and the signs of heart failure disappears. Postpartum a Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was recognised by electrocardiography. The paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias of the newborn was terminated abruptly by intravenous application of propafenon. Recurrences were prevented by the oral administration of propafenon.
The fetuses of 352 patients at between 16 and 38 weeks of gestation were studied by using two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography (2-DDE). In 32 fetuses, structural and/or functional abnormalities were detected. The advantages of 2-DDE are, in particular, rapid screening for flow abnormalities and, thus, shortening of the Doppler examination time. Further benefits include a rapid diagnosis of valvular regurgitation, valvular stenosis, and abnormal shunting of blood across the cardiac septa. The diagnosis of complex heart defects is facilitated by and, in certain cases, only possible at all using 2-DDE.
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