Prenatal management of cystic hygroma and long term outcomes

Cystic hygroma is a benign congenital malformation of the lymphatic system. The rate of incidence is 1-4/1000 and it can be inherited as an autosomal recessive. There is a 35-50 % chance of chromosomal abnormalities with cystic hygroma. Also euploid fetuses have 50 % structural malformation risk. The most common malformations are cardiac malformations. There’s a 15 % chance of live births for affected fetuses. If there is neither chromosomal abnormalities nor structural malformations, a 95 % normal short-term pediatric outcome can be estimated. However, the overall prognosis in fetuses with cystic hygroma is poor, and a healthy survival rate is less than 5 %. There are prenatal, natal and postnatal treatment methods. [Med-Science 2017; 6(2.000): 375-8]