Two Year Neurodevelopmental Outcome after Fetoscopic Laser Therapy for Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome: Comparison with Uncomplicated Monochorionic Diamniotic Twins

Ángel Chimenea; Lutgardo García-Díaz; Guillermo Antiñolo

doi:10.3390/children10071250

Two Year Neurodevelopmental Outcome after Fetoscopic Laser Therapy for Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome: Comparison with Uncomplicated Monochorionic Diamniotic Twins

Children (Basel). 2023 Jul 20;10(7):1250. doi: 10.3390/children10071250.

Authors

Ángel Chimenea^{1

2}, Lutgardo García-Díaz¹, Guillermo Antiñolo^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materno-Fetal Medicine, Genetics and Reproduction, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, CSIC, University of Seville, ES-41013 Seville, Spain.
² Fetal, IVF and Reproduction Simulation Training Centre (FIRST), ES-41010 Seville, Spain.
³ Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ES-41013 Seville, Spain.

Abstract

Background: Twin-twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) represents a significant complication in monochorionic twin pregnancies, caused by an unbalanced shunting of blood through intertwin placental vascular anastomoses. Despite advances in fetoscopic laser surgery, TTTS is still associated with a high rate of cerebral injury. However, there are no studies comparing these pregnancies with uncomplicated monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies, establishing the baseline risk of neurodevelopmental impairment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the odds of neurodevelopmental impairment in MCDA twins who undergo fetoscopic laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome, in comparison to a cohort of uncomplicated MCDA twin pregnancies.

Study design: This is a retrospective cohort study of children born from MCDA twin pregnancies at a single center between 2008 and 2019. A routine, standardized follow-up assessment was conducted at a minimum of 2 years after delivery. The primary outcome of this was a 2 year neurodevelopmental impairment. Neurological, motor, and cognitive development was assessed by using the revised Brunet-Lézine scale.

Results: 176 children met the enrolment criteria. Of these, 42 (24%; TTTS group) underwent fetoscopic laser surgery for TTTS during pregnancy, and 134 (76%; uncomplicated MCDA group) were uncomplicated MCDA pregnancies. The primary outcome was found in four children (9.52%) in the TTTS group and ten children (7.46%) in the uncomplicated MCDA group (p = 0.67, aOR 2.82, 95% CI 0.49-16.23). Major neurologic impairment was found in 2.38% after fetoscopic laser surgery and 1.49% in uncomplicated MCDA twins (p = 0.70, aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.22-4.24). The data were adjusted by birth order, birth weight, and gestational age at birth.

Conclusions: The outcome in MCDA twins who underwent fetoscopic laser surgery for TTTS is comparable to the outcome in uncomplicated MCDA twins. Our findings emphasize the need for long-term neurodevelopmental follow-ups in all children from monochorionic twin gestations.

Keywords: cerebral palsy; fetoscopic laser therapy; monochorionic twin; neurodevelopmental outcome; twin–twin transfusion syndrome.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.