Case Report: Prenatal and Postnatal Management for Fetal Bronchogenic Cysts During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Main Authors: Lin Cheng, Jie Duan, Mei Wang, Dan Lu, Huan Li, Jianhong Ma, Juan Liu, Cheng Wang, Yuanzhen Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-07-01
• Series: Frontiers in Pediatrics
• Subjects: bronchogenic cyst; prenatal and postnatal management; MRI; multidisciplinary approaches; COVID-19 pandemic
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.675883/full

Background: A fetal bronchogenic cyst (BC) is a rare congenital anomaly with an incidence of 0.147–0.238‰. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as a particular situation, hindered pregnant women from receiving periodic prenatal checkups.Case Description: Until 34+6 weeks of gestation, a fetal case of the intrathoracic cyst was found by ultrasound examination. Further, MRI examination confirmed the diagnosis of the congenital mediastinal cystic lesion, probably a BC. Genetic testing was not conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At 38+5 weeks of gestation with maternal COVID-19 testing negative, a live girl was delivered by cesarean section. Five months later, the child underwent bronchocystectomy, and the postoperative pathological lesions confirmed a (right upper mediastinum) BC.Conclusion: Herein, we reported the prenatal and postnatal management for a rare case of the congenital BC by multidisciplinary approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fetal MRI and screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities are especially recommended. This case contributes to the awareness that the COVID-19 pandemic interferes with regular follow-up schedules during pregnancy and may interfere with timely performed additional tests; which leads to more accurate genetic counseling. A combination of multidisciplinary approaches, including radiology, infection control, genetic counseling, obstetrics, and pediatric surgery, is pivotal for managing fetal BC during the COVID-19 pandemic.