Intrauterine restrictive oval foramen: cause of fetal hydrops

Abstract

Introduction: Premature closure of the oval foramen or intrauterine restrictive oval foramen is a rare but serious clinical entity of unknown etiology. It can cause various heart defects, pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, fetal hydrops and death. Diagnosis can be made by fetal echocardiography, although in most cases it occurs in postmortem autopsy.

Objective: Describe the presentation of a case of fetal hydrops secondary to premature closure of the intrauterine oval foramen.

Case presentation: A 34-week preterm newborn in which, in ultrasound and prenatal echocardiography, an increase in the cardiac chambers associated with intrauterine closure of oval foramen and hydrops was visualized; these findings were confirmed at birth. After a prolonged stay in the neonatal intensive care unit and treatment with inotropic and diuretic drugs, hospital discharge was granted with diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to restrictive oval foramen.

Conclusions: The association of premature closure of oval foramen with fetal hydrops has been described in few publications and it is common in these the relation with perinatal death and extracardiac abnormalities. In this case, it is described hydrops secondary to the early closure of the intrauterine oval foramen that conditioned the overall dilation of heart chambers, and persistent severe ventricular dysfunction beyond the neonatal period without other associated abnormalities. Despite the severity of cardiovascular compromising, clinical evolution was favorable and allowed hospital discharge. Early recognition using ultrasound and fetal echocardiography of these entities is important to guide timely diagnosis and treatment.