Evaluation of cardiac function in the recipient twin in successfully treated twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome using a novel fetal speckle‐tracking analysis

INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to evaluate ventricular size, shape, and function in recipient twins following laser therapy for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), using novel speckle-tracking techniques. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients that underwent fetal laser surgery for TTTS and had fetal echocardiograms (FE) performed pre- and post-operatively (op), with adequate resolution in the 4-chamber view for analysis, using a speckle-tracking software, to compute the size, shape, and function of both the right (RV) and left (LV) ventricles. Values were indexed to published normal values. Pre- and post-laser Z-score values for each of the measurements were compared using the Student's t-test, with significance defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Fifteen TTTS candidate pregnancies that underwent laser therapy between 2010 and 2017, with adequate pre- and post-op FE, were selected for the analysis. Post-op FE at 28.5 ± 8.3 days showed a significant decrease in RV base dimension, increased LV base dimension, and improvements in many functional measurements: LV global and free wall strain, LV fractional area change, LV basal-apical fractional change, and LV and RV 24-segment fractional shortening (FS) of the basal segments. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac remodeling, following laser surgery in TTTS recipient twins, was demonstrated in the basal portion of both the RV and LV with improved biventricular function.