A multidisciplinary fetal neurosurgical service-5 years of fetal outcomes from a national referral centre

Background A specialist fetal neurosurgical clinic was set up in order to improve patient care in a tertiary referral fetal medicine centre. The clinic provides a targeted clinical service for women diagnosed with fetal neurological abnormalities. The service consists of fetal MRI, fetal ultrasound and joint assessment and counselling from neurosurgery and fetal medicine teams. Aims We aimed to review this service that provides MDT expertise directly to parents and record the cases and pregnancy outcomes involved. Methods This is a prospective study of clinic data from Jan 2013 to Dec 2017. Information includes ultrasound scan findings, MRI results, karyotype results and pregnancy outcome data including post mortem results and data from the paediatric neurosurgery service at the affiliated children's hospital. Results From 2013 to 2017, there were 1852 major fetal anomalies diagnosed antenatally at the tertiary referral fetal medicine service and n = 306/1852 [16%] were primarily neurological in origin. The neurosurgical clinic reviewed 125 patients since 2013. The most common reasons for referral were spina bifida, n = 60 [48%] and isolated ventriculomegaly n = 43 [34%]. Other reasons for referral include agenesis of the corpus callosum n = 4 [3%], encephalocoele n = 5 [4%] and intracranial mass lesions n = 3 [2.4%]. Cases with borderline ventriculomegaly and cases with known chromosomal or genetic abnormalities were not typically referred to the clinic. Full outcome data were available on 110 of 125 women seen. Thirty-two women [29%] underwent invasive testing and 14 women [12.7%] had a termination of pregnancy. Conclusion Multidisciplinary antenatal counselling supported with in utero MRI provides families with optimum information to inform them of likely neonatal outcome.

Automated summary

The study reviewed the specialist fetal neurosurgical clinic established to improve patient care in a tertiary referral fetal medicine centre, with a focus on cases primarily neurological in origin. The clinic reviewed cases such as spina bifida and isolated ventriculomegaly, providing multidisciplinary antenatal counseling supported with in utero MRI for families to inform them of likely neonatal outcomes.