Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS): discussing the role and limits of prenatal diagnosis starting from a single-center case series

Maria Diletta D'Eufemia; Stefano Cianci; Filippo Di Meglio; Letizia Di Meglio; Lavinia Di Meglio; Salvatore Giovanni Vitale; Antonio Simone Laganà; Benito Chiofato; Agnese Maria Chiara Rapisarda; Francesco Padula; Valentina La Rosa; Claudio Coco; Carmine Vascone

doi:10.11138/jpm/2016.10.1.004

Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS): discussing the role and limits of prenatal diagnosis starting from a single-center case series

J Prenat Med. 2016 Jan-Jun;10(1-2):4-7. doi: 10.11138/jpm/2016.10.1.004.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialistics Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy.
² Department of Medical Surgical Specialties, Gynecology and Obstetrics Section, University of Catania, Italy.
³ Department of Gynaecological-Obstetrical Sciences and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
⁴ Clinical Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Physiopathology Reproduction, "Federico II" University of Naples, Italy.
⁵ Unit of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Italy.
⁶ Department of Prenatal Diagnosis, Altamedica Fetal Maternal Medical Centre, Rome, Italy.
⁷ Unit of Psychodiagnostics and Clinical Psychology, University of Catania, Italy.

Abstract

Objectives: we aimed to report our experience about congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS) that is a rare and fatal congenital anomaly; laryngeal atresia is the most frequent cause. Sonographic findings are enlarged echogenic lungs, dilated trachea, and ascites.

Methods: we performed a single-center case series analysis collecting antenatally through ultrasound examination, and some of them confirmed by autopsy.

Results: we report six cases of CHAOS diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonography between 2007 and 2013.

Conclusion: to date literature provides very few individual case reports. This work describes typical sonographic findings of this syndrome and it underlines the importance of early prenatal diagnosis to improve prognosis thought an ex utero intrapartum treatment, that seems to be the only chance of survival for the affected fetus.

Keywords: congenital high airway obstruction; diagnosis; prenatal diagnosis; prognosis.

Publication types

Review