ABSTRACT
Hydrops fetalis is rarely associated with congestive heart failure caused by obstructive
left-sided heart lesions. There are rare cases of live born neonates with critical
congenital valvar aortic stenosis and hydrops reported in the literature, all with
fatal outcomes. This report describes, to the best of our knowledge, the first two
newborns who were diagnosed prenatally to have hydrops fetalis caused by critical
valvar aortic stenosis, who were treated prenatally with digoxin and who postnatally
had successful percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty. Both patients had not only
left but right ventricular dysfunction. We speculate that right ventricular dysfunction
was a contributing factor in the development of hydrops in these patients and in utero
medical therapy with digoxin is associated with resolution of the hydrops before delivery.
Keywords
Hydrops fetalis - aortic stenosis - digoxin - balloon valvuloplasty
