TWIN-TWIN TRANSFUSION SYNDROME - POSSIBLE ROLES FOR DOPPLER ULTRASOUND AND AMNIOCENTESIS

A 29-year-old woman was referred for suspicion of twin-twin transfusio n syndrome (TTTS). Several ultrasonographic and neonatal criteria of T TTS were encountered in this twin pregnancy. The peculiar observations in this case were, firstly, the demonstration of superficial anastomo sis by Doppler ultrasound and, secondly, that one single therapeutic a mniocentesis could have been sufficient to partially correct the progr ession of the syndrome, as after amniocentesis it was no longer possib le to demonstrate the vascular communication, This observation suggest s that superficial anastomoses could also have a role in the genesis o f TTTS. Their effect could be monitored by Doppler ultrasound and coul d be more easily corrected by therapeutic amniocentesis.