Morphological structure of cotyledons with non-contrasted blood vessels in the placenta of women who had an exacerbation of mono- and mixed-cytomegalovirus infection in the second trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Gorikov I. N. 
Published: December 2022

Aim. To assess the morphological structure of cotyledons with non-contrasted blood vessels in the pla­centas in women who had an exacerbation of mono- and mixed cytomegalovirus infection (CMVI) in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Materials and methods. The histometric parameters of the villi were studied with different visualization on X-ray phlebograms of blood vessels in 112 cotyledons of placentas in women with pregnancy, uncomplicated and com­plicated by mono- and mixed-CMVI (combination of CMVI and reactivation of chronic herpes virus infection type 1 HSV). The first group (control) included 36 cotyledons with a clear contrasting of the vascular bed in the placentas from women with an uncomplicated gestational period. The main group was represented by 76 cotyledons: subgroup 2a - 24 cotyledons, in which the bloodstream was not detected, in placentas from patients with exacerbation of mono-CMVI as­sociated with chronic subcompensated placental insufficiency (CSPI); subgroup 2b - 16 cotyledons with blood vessels not diagnosed by X-ray phlebography, in placentas from women with mixed CMVI infection, initiating the development of CSPI; subgroup 3a - 21 cotyledons with non-contrasted bloodstream in placentas from patients with exacerbation of mono-CMVI and chronic decompensated placental insufficiency (CDPI); subgroup 3b - 15 cotyledons with a similar an­giographic picture in placentas from women who had an exacerbation of mixed CMVI in the second trimester of gestation and CDPI. Identification of cotyledons with a clear visualization of blood vessels and with a non-contrasted vascular bed in the marginal part of the placenta was carried out by dosed administration of minium on linseed oil (1:3) through the vein of umbilical cord and assessment of the angiographic picture on X-ray, which were obtained using the RUM-20M apparatus with X-ray image amplifier Sapphire (Russia). For histological analysis, tissue pieces were taken in the same places before and after injection of the contrast mass into the bloodstream of the organ, on the damaged areas of which clamps were applied.

Results. In the first group, the cotyledons had clear contours of the blood vessels and the vein draining them. Avascular villi (AV) accounted for 2.05±0.22%, villi with syncytiocapillary membranes (SCM) - 33.5±2.41%, villi with one (1) SCM - 77.1±2.07%, with two (2) SCM - 20.9±1.98% and with three (3) SCM - 1.42±0.09%. In subgroup 2a, compared with the first group, there was a deformation of the lumen of the vein of the stem villi of the I and II order, in which erythrocyte aggregates, single leukocytes and rarely thrombi were determined, as well as signs of edema and partial desquamation of endotheliocytes, fibrinoid and inflammatory changes in the vessel wall. The number of AV increased (by 6.87 times, p<0.001) and the number of villi with SCM decreased (by 2.05 times, p<0.001) with no significant differences between villi with 1, 2, and 3 SCM. In subgroup 2b, in comparison with subgroup 2a, mod­erate folding of the endothelium, areas of its partial desquamation, AV (1.39 times, p<0.01) and villi with 2 SCMs (1.44 times, p<0.05) were more common against the background of a decrease in the concentration of villi with 1 SCM (by 1.19 times, p<0.05). In subgroup 3b, a greater number of vessels were found that did not provide outflow of blood from cotyle­dons (12, p<0.001) and had an arcuate shape (10, p<0.001) compared with subgroup 3a, where their number was, respec­tively, 3 (p<0.001) and 2 (p<0.001). A more pronounced folding of the endothelial lining was determined, as well as ag­gregates, neutrophils, lymphocytes and thrombi in the lumen of the vessels. There was an increase in the percentage of villi with 1 SCM (by 1.13 times, p<0.05), as well as a decrease in the frequency of occurrence of villi with 2 SCM (by 1.67 times, p<0.05) and 3 SCM (by 2.13 times, p<0.001). In cotyledons of subgroup 3b, in contrast to those of subgroup 2b, blindly ending vessels were more common (2 times, p<0.05), arcuate course of veins (2.5 times, p<0.05), lumen de­formity, hyperchromia of the nucleus and total desquamation of cells, thrombi with calcification, complete and partial obliteration of the arterial lumen, inflammation, fibrinoid degradation of the muscular layer of vessels and the deposition of calcium salts in it, as well as AV (1.29 times, p<0.05) and villi with 1 SCM (1.40 times, p<0.001); less often villi were detected with SCM (1.35 times, p<0.05), with 2 SCM (2.78 times, p<0.001) and 3 SCM (1.57 times, p<0.05).

Conclusion. In women with exacerbation of mixed CMVI in the second trimester of gestation and CDPI, in contrast to patients with reactivation of mono-CMVI leading to CDPI, angiodestructive and angioobstructive processes, as well as inhibition of angiogenesis, are more pronounced in cotyledons with non-visualized blood vessels. This increases vascular resistance and blocks the flow of the contrast mass during its dosed injection into the vascular bed of the placenta.