TTTS Survival Rate After Laser Surgery

A study from Japan looks at the TTTS survival rate for twins who’ve undergone fetal laser surgery. The study was published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology is the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology (ISUOG).
145 pregnancies were diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and treated with laser therapy at the same centre in Japan between 2007 and 2015.

TTTS survival rate after laser surgery

Of those 145 pregnancies diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, there were 34 cases of single fetal demise after laser therapy – this means that one twin died in 24.1 percent of the cases treated at the centre. Out of the 34 babies, 26 donors and 8 recipients died. This means that out of the 145 pregnancies, the donor baby died in 18.4 percent of cases. The recipient baby died in 5.7 percent of cases.

60 percent of losses happen within a week

Earlier studies have shown that the death of one baby after laser surgery for TTTS occurs in 20 to 25 percent of pregnancies. 60 percent of those losses occur within a week after laser surgery. At the centre in Japan 73,5 percent of losses happend within 14 days after laser therapy. 26.5 percent occurred later than 14 days after laser therapy.

Receiving treatment for severe, progressive TTTS is crucial. TTTS is associated with near to 100 percent mortality if left untreated. Read our TTTS and TAPS survivor stories.