Body stalk anomaly

Marcos Antonio Velasco Sanchez, MD, Candelaria Conda Moreno, MD, Alberto Sosa Olavarria, MD, Andres Zurita Peralta, MD, Jonhy de la Cruz Vargas MD

Hospital General Donato G Alarcon de Ciudad Renacimiento, S.S.A. Acapulco Guerrero, Mexico, Facultad de Medicina de la   U.A.G., Mexico.

Case report

This is a case of a 23-year-old G4P3 who came to our department for the routine ultrasound scan. She was at 23 weeks of her gestation and had non-contributive family or personal history.

The ultrasound examination found the following:

  • Large abdominal wall defect with herniation of the liver and heart
  • Severe spinal deformities, scoliosis
  • Clubfoot
  • Low set ears
  • Extremaly short umbilical cord with single umbilical artery
  • Enlarged amount of the amniotic fluid
  • Fetus fixed to the placenta

Our diagnosis based on the ultrasound examination was a Body stalk anomaly. The clinical examination after delivery confirmed our diagnosis. There was a large abdominal defect with visceral organs herniating outside of the abdominal cavity, adhering to the placenta. The neonate died shortly after delivery.

Images 1,2: Images show severely distorted spine.

Limb_body_Marcos_1
Limb_body_Marcos_3


Image 3,4: Abdominal wall defect with herniated visceral organs, adhering to the placenta.

Limb_body_Marcos_2
Limb_body_Marcos_4


Images 5,6: Image 5 shows upper extremity with abnormal position of the hand. Image 6 shows herniated visceral organs adhering to the placenta.

Limb_body_Marcos_5
Limb_body_Marcos_8


Images 7,8: Extremely short umbilical cord.

Limb_body_Marcos_7
Limb_body_Marcos_6


Videos 1,2
: Doppler imaging showing the short umbilical cord and herniated bowel and liver.



Videos 3,4: Herniated visceral organs with bowel adhering to the placenta.



Images 9 - 12: Images of the baby. Note large abdominal wall defect with eviscerated organs and malformed lower extremities, severely distorted spine.

Limb_body_Marcos_9
Limb_body_Marcos_10
Limb_body_Marcos_11
Limb_body_Marcos_12

Discussion Board

Start a discussion about this article
Add bookmark Bookmarked

Menu