Resumen

CASTEJON, Olivar C; ALI, Sara K  y  CANACHE C, Luzardo. El edema de la vellosidad placentaria en los casos de muerte. Gac Méd Caracas [online]. 2006, vol.114, n.4, pp.291-299. ISSN 0367-4762.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the presence of villous placental edema associated with fetal death in the cases of hypertension and neural tube malformations. Out of these cases, 8 and 6 placentas were taken respectively, which were compared with control placentas, at the same interval of weeks gestation. The concept of edema according to Benirschke and Kaufmann, was applied, using light microscopy. The findings obtained revealed increased per cent of edema, between 48 and 100 per cent in the interval of 28 and 38 weeks of the group with maternal vascular complication. Between 25 y 100 %, with interval of 24 y 40 weeks of gestation for the group complicated with fetal malformations. They were indicative of an increasing rate of edema associated with fetal death whose physiopatology is dicussed in base to a new knowledge about aquaporins or water chanels widely expressed in the maternofetal barrier and fetal membranes.

Palabras clave : Villous placental edema; Maternal hypertension; Malformations.