Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) procedure outcomes

TTTS + MWFCC

The Midwest Fetal Care Center (MWFCC) performed its first fetoscopic laser ablation (FLA) for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in 2008. Led by a team of top medical experts in the field of maternal-fetal medicine and fetal diagnosis and therapy, our program has become one of the highest volume treatment centers for TTTS in the nation and has exceptional outcomes.

Our center performed 190 laser surgeries between June 1, 2017, and November 1, 2023, with 182 delivered and 8 ongoing pregnancies, and an overall survival rate of 86%.

Surgical Outcomes

A summary of Midwest Fetal Care Center’s current clinical outcomes data for the treatment of TTTS is presented here. Our goal is to provide our patients and community the latest TTTS patient outcomes data to support informed decision-making.

We are actively involved in research regarding TTTS and collaborate with other advanced fetal care centers in the U.S. and internationally through the North American Fetal Therapy network (NAFTnet) and the International Fetal Medicine Surgery Society (IFMSS). We submit patient data (with informed consent) to a multi-center collaborative registry hosted by NAFTnet to investigate outcomes of this procedure with the goal of advancing care of families affected by TTTS.

TTTS stage at presentation

Stage I (%)
Stage II (%)
Stage III (%)
Stage IV (%)
TAPS

Data table

Stage 1: 15%, Stage 2: 31%, Stage 3: 43%, Stage 4: 7%, TAPS: 4%

Gestational age at time of FLA

<18 weeks (%)
18-19 weeks (%)
20-21 weeks (%)
22-23 weeks (%)
24-25 weeks (%)
26+ weeks (%)

Data table

<18 weeks: 22%, 18-19 weeks: 27%, 20-21 weeks: 21%, 22-23 weeks: 11%, 24-25 weeks: 14%, 26+ weeks: 5%

Average estimated gestational age at FLA: 20 weeks, 3 days
Average estimated gestational age at delivery: 30 weeks, 5 days

Data measured June 1, 2017 – November 1, 2023

Treatment Summary

95%

of procedures resulted in one or both twin(s) surviving

77%

of procedures resulted in both twins surviving

Neonatal survival after TTTS fetal procedure

FLA 303 out of 351 total babies delivered

2 survivors (%)
1 survivor (%)
0 survivors (%)

Data table

2 survivors: 77%, 1 survivor: 19%, 0 survivors: 4%

Includes 9 triplet cases, 9 delivered: 7 cases with 3 survivors, 2 cases with 2 survivors

30-day post-delivery NICU survival rate by TTTS stage

TTTS Stage	2 survivors	1 survivor	0 survivors
Stage I	92%	8%	0%
Stage II	83%	12%	6%
Stage III	65%	29%	5%
Stage IV	83%	8%	8%
TAPS	86%	14%	0%

Data measured July 1, 2017 – November 1, 2023

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We encourage you to reach out to other health care systems to request and review their outcomes data in order to utilize the information available when evaluating your health care options.

See our other outcomes