Definition of Chorioangioma, placental

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Chorioangioma, placental: A benign vascular (blood vessel) tumor of the placenta (afterbirth).

Large chorioangiomas cause complications including polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid), maternal and fetal clotting problems (coagulopathies), premature delivery, toxemia, fetal heart failure, and hydrops (excess fluid) affecting the fetus.

Chorioangiomas probably act as peripheral shunts between arteries and veins (arteriovenous shunts) leading to progressive heart failure of the fetus.

Labor is usually induced once the fetus is viable. Fetal blood transfusion has also been used in fetuses found to be anemic. Alcohol injection into the placental chorioangioma is being tried as a new method of treatment.