Placenta
Nonneoplastic placental conditions and abnormalities
Placental findings in specific conditions
Twin - twin transfusion
Author: Mandolin S. Ziadie, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2011
Last staff update: 23 February 2021
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Twin twin transfusion placenta [title]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) descriptionCite this page: Ziadie MS. Twin - twin transfusion. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/placentatwintwin.html. Accessed April 25th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Unbalanced flow of blood through arteriovenous anastomoses with worse clinical outcome if AV anastomoses without arterioarterial or venovenous anastomoses
- Results in growth discrepancy and mortality, which is usually marked in second trimester
- Both twins are at risk (70% mortality)
- After death of donor twin, may get an acute reverse transfusion
Case reports
- 22 year old pregnant woman with twins, one with oligohydramnios, one with polyhydramnios (Case of the Week #264)
Treatment
- Serial amniocentesis; removal of a fetus
- Surgical interruption of common vasculature
Gross description
- Donor twin is anemic, small and pale with small organs
- Recipient twin is large and plethoric with large organs; at risk for high output cardiac failure
Gross images
Images hosted on other servers:
Twin - twin transfusion
Anastomosis
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Donor placentas have large edematous villi, small capillaries and numerous nucleated red blood cells
- Recipient placenta has small, firm and mature villi with congested vessels
