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Background: Large mediastinal teratomas in the fetus are rare and can present with direct compression of intrathoracic structures as well as pericardial and pleural effusions. Mediastinal fetal teratoma may be detected as a mass in the chest during a routine prenatal ultrasound. Because of the pressure on mediastinal structures it may result in non-immune fetal hydrops (NIFH) and polyhydramnios. The development of hydrops may lead to fetal demise. Timely obstetric and/or surgical intervention is important to improve survival in this patient population. Case review: We report a case of a large mediastinal teratoma in a fetus who presented with a large pericardial effusion at 28 weeks gestation. The fetus developed NIFH at 31 weeks gestation. The fetus was successfully managed with an ex utero intrapartum therapy (EXIT) procedure which involved pericardiocentesis and surgical resection of the large teratoma. Histological examination revealed an encapsulated immature teratoma., Discussion: Mediastinal teratomas are usually detected by routine second- and third-trimester ultrasound. Large teratomas have been described to present with airway compromise and NIFH. Some cases have been managed by postnatal surgery and rare cases by EXIT procedure., Conclusions: This is the first reported case of a fetal mediastinal teratoma and severe pericardial effusion who developed NIFH, in whom EXIT procedure was successfully employed to simultaneously drain the effusion and resect the tumor.

Introduction: Pseudoamniotic band syndrome (PABS) occurs iatrogenically after fetal surgery or amniocentesis due to chorioamniotic membrane separation. Separation of the amnion from the chorion can expand to form fibrous amniotic bands that can envelope fetal limbs or the umbilical cord, with consequences ranging from limb constriction to fetal demise., Case Report: We report a case of bilateral fetal pleural effusions at 27 weeks' gestation treated by bilateral thoracoamniotic shunts. Following shunt placement, the hydrothorax resolved. However, chorioamniotic membrane separation developed resulting in PABS with subsequent umbilical cord strangulation and fetal demise at 32 weeks' gestation., Conclusion: PABS has been previously described in the literature following various fetal interventions. This is the first reported case of pseudoamniotic band syndrome after placement of fetal thoracoamniotic shunts. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose PABS via postoperative ultrasound. Post intervention chorioamniotic membrane separation warrants close surveillance for sonographic evidence of PABS.

Twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS) is an atypical form of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) that presents as a large intertwin hemoglobin difference with one twin developing anemia and the other developing polycythemia, without oligohydramnios-polyhydramnios sequence (Lopriore et al., Placenta 2007;28:47-51). The prenatal diagnostic criteria for TAPS require that the middle cerebral artery-peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV) measure greater than 1.5 multiples of median (MoM) in the donor twin and less than 0.8 MoM in the recipient twin (Robyr et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006;194:796-803; Klaritsch et al., Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2009;34:149-154; Mari et al., N Engl Med 2000;342:9-14). The presumed etiology of TAPS involves the presence of small caliber arteriovenous anastomoses, which generate a slow transfusional process allowing for hemodynamic compensation (Lopriore et al., Placenta 2007;28:47-51; Lopriore et al., Placenta 2009;30:223-225; Lewi et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006;194:790-795; Lopriore et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;112:753-758; Van den Wijngaard et al., Placenta 2007;28:611-615). The resulting polycythemia in the recipient twin is a risk factor for fetal and placental thrombosis (Van den Wijngaard et al., Am J Physiol 2005;288:R799-R814). We present a case of spontaneous TAPS complicated by a large placental vessel thrombosis and hydrops fetalis. Treatment via selective laser photocoagulation of communicating vessels (SLPCV) resulted in normalization of the MCA-PSV discordance.

Teratoma is the leading neoplasm diagnosed in neonates and infants. Although over 99% of teratomas found in the fetus and newborn are histologically benign, those tumors may cause death if vital structures are involved or if the airway is compromised. We review the literature on antenatal intrapericardial teratomas and report a case of intrapericardial teratoma, with massive pericardial effusion and fetal hydrops, diagnosed on antenatal ultrasound at 21 weeks of gestation. Pericardioamniotic shunt was placed at 22 weeks and 6 days gestational age. In spite of successful drainage of the pericardial effusion, fetal demise was documented 8 days later, likely due to tumor compression of the heart.