Role of gestational age at time of placental laser surgery in outcomes of twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome

ABSTRACT Objective There are conflicting data on whether fetoscopic laser photocoagulation of placental anastomoses (FLP) for treating twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is associated with lower rates of overall survival. The objective of this study is to characterize survival and other associated morbidity after FLP across gestational ages of FLP. Methods This is a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data on patients with monochorionic‐diamniotic twins that had FLP for TTTS at two centers between 2011 and 2022. Patients were divided into gestational age epochs for FLP before 18 wks, 18 0/7 – 19 6/7 wks, 20 0/7 – 21 6/7 wks, 22 0/7 – 23 6/7 wks, 24 0/7 – 25 6/7 wks and after 26 wks. Demographic characteristics, sonographic characteristics of TTTS and operative characteristics were compared across the gestational age epochs. Outcomes including overall survival, preterm delivery, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM), intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) and neonatal demise (NND) were also compared across gestational age epochs. Multivariate analysis was performed by fitting logistic regression models for these outcomes. Kaplan‐Mejer curves were constructed to compare the interval from PPROM to delivery for each gestational age epoch. Results There were 768 patients that met inclusion criteria. The dual survival rate was 61.3% for FLP performed prior to 18 weeks compared to 78.0% ‐ 86.7% across later gestational age epochs. This appears to be related to increased rates of donor IUFD following FLP performed before, versus after 18 weeks (28.0% vs. 9.3% ‐ 14.1%). Rates of recipient IUFD/NND and donor NND were similar regardless of gestational age of FLP. Rates of PPROM were higher for earlier FLP, ranging from 45.6% for FLP before 18 weeks to 11.9% for FLP at 24 – 26 weeks gestational age. However, the gestational age of delivery was similar across gestational age epochs with a median of 31.7 weeks. In multivariate analysis, donor loss was independently associated with FLP before 18 weeks after adjusting for selective fetal growth restriction, Quintero stage and other covariates. PPROM and PTD were also associated with FLP before 18 weeks after adjusting for cervical length, placental location, trocar size, laser energy and amnioinfusion. Conclusion FLP performed at earlier gestational ages is associated with lower overall survival, which is driven by higher risk of donor IUFD, as opposed to differences in PPROM or PTD. Counseling regarding survival should account for gestational age of presentation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.