Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
  • Published:

Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

Segmental Arterial Mediolysis in a Preterm

Journal of Perinatology volume 24, pages 461–464 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

We firstly report on a dystrophic preterm infant with segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) found in arteries of placental, umbilical and cerebral tissues. These arterial lesions of unknown etiology developing in the elderly are characterized by segmental lysis of the abdominal splanchnic arteries followed by aneurysms and acute bleeding. Typically, the lesions occur in a skip pattern. We could find a small number of SAM in the spleen but much more in placental and umbilical tissues. Rarely, a vascular elastosis and splitting of individual vessels in the spleen and lung could be detected. The histological findings are similar to that of adult patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Voigt M, Schneider KT, Jahrig K . Analysis of a 1992 birth sample in Germany. 1: New percentile values of the body weight of newborn infants. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 1996;56:550–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Slavin RE, Gonzalez-Vitale JC . Segmental mediolytic arteritis: a clinical pathologic study. Lab Invest 1976;35:23–29.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Slavin RE, Cafferty L, Cartwright Jr. J . Segmental mediolytic arteritis. A clinicopathologic and ultrastructural study of two cases. Am J Surg Pathol 1989;13:558–568.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gruenwald P . Necrosis in the coronary arteries of newborn infants. Am Heart J 1949;38:889–897.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. de Sa DJ . Coronary arterial lesions and myocardial necrosis in stillbirths and infants. Arch Dis Child 1979;54:918–930.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Joris I, Majno G . Endothelial changes induced by arterial spasm. Am J Pathol 1981;102:346–358.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Slavin RE, Saeki K, Bhagavan B, Maas AE . Segmental arterial mediolysis: a precursor to fibromuscular dysplasia? Mod Pathol 1995;8:287–294.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Leu HJ . Cerebrovascular accidents resulting from segmental mediolytic arteriopathy of the cerebral arteries in young adults. Cardiovasc Surg 1994;2:350–353.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Tashima L, Nakata M, Anno K, Sugino N, Kato H . Prenatal influence of ischemia-hypoxia-induced intrauterine growth retardation on brain development and behavioral activity in rats. Biol Neonate 2001;80:81–87.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tongsong T, Wanapirak C, Kunavikatikul C, et al. Cordocentesis at 16-24 weeks of gestation: experience of 1,320 cases. Prenat Diagn 2000;20:224–228.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ghidini A, Sepulveda W, Lockwood CJ, Romero R . Complications of fetal blood sampling. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1993;168:1339–1344.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Baergen RN, Malicki D, Behling C, Benirschke K . Morbidity, mortality, and placental pathology in excessively long umbilical cords: retrospective study. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2001;4:144–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang P, Benirschke K . Placental pathology casebook. Serpentine aneurysms of the placenta with fetal consequences. J Perinatol 2000;20:63–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Castellucci M, Kosanke G, Verdenelli F, Huppertz B, Kaufmann P . Villous sprouting: fundamental mechanisms of human placental development. Hum Reprod Update 2000;6:485–494.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Tsukahara H, et al. Vasoactive and natriuretic mediators in umbilical cord blood: a report of our observation and review of the literature. Early Hum Dev 2002;69:57–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ullberg U, Lingman G, Ekman-Ordeberg G, Sandstedt B . Hyrtl's anastomosis is normally developed in placentas from small for gestational age infants. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2003;82:716–721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology (F.E., Children's Hospital, A.K., B.R.), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Frank Eifinger, Angela Kribs & Bernhard Roth

  2. Institute of Pathology (J.F.), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Jochen Fries

  3. Department for Prenatal Medicine and Gynaecologial Sonography (R.B.), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Rainer Bald

  4. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Paediatric Radiology (F.K.), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Friederike Körber

Authors
  1. Frank Eifinger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jochen Fries
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rainer Bald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Friederike Körber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Angela Kribs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Bernhard Roth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eifinger, F., Fries, J., Bald, R. et al. Segmental Arterial Mediolysis in a Preterm. J Perinatol 24, 461–464 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211130

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211130

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links