OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnostic accuracy of fetal pulmonary venous abnormalities through the analysis of the fetal pulmonary vein anatomy.

METHODS234 cases of congenital cardiac abnormalities were detected by echocardiography during pregnancy in An Zhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2010 to August 2015. Autopsy was then performed. The type of fetal pulmonary venous malformation, cardiac abnormalities, systemic venous malformations, and other internal organs deformities were documented.

RESULTSThere were ninteen cases of pulmonary venous malformations among the 234 cases of fetal congenital heart disease. These included two cases of congenital pulmonary venous hypoplasia (CPVH) or atresia, four cases of partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD), seven cases of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD), five cases of atresia of common pulmonary vein (CPV), one case of congenital pulmonary venous hypoplasia with total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. There were eleven cases with single ventricle, eight cases with right aortic arch, seven cases with single atrium and six cases with pulmonary valve stenosis. Eleven cases had pulmonary hypoplasia and nine cases had abnormal spleen.

CONCLUSIONSThere are many variations in pulmonary venous abnormalities associated with severe and complex cardiac abnormalities and internal organs malformation. Care should be exercised during autopsy examination to look for all branches of the pulmonary vein.