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Acardiac anomaly spectrum
C Mohanty1, O P Mishra, C P Singh
1Department of Anatomy, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India.
Teratology
|October 12, 2000
Summary
A rare acardiac twin showed partial head and face development without upper extremities, challenging typical developmental patterns in twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Reproductive medicine
- Congenital anomalies
Background:
- Acardiac anomaly spectrum is a rare congenital malformation in monozygotic twin pregnancies.
- Characterized by absence of the heart and variable developmental disruption.
- No two cases present identically, highlighting unique pathological variations.
Observation:
- This case report details findings from physical examination and autopsy.
- The acardiac twin exhibited partial development of the head and face.
- Complete absence of upper extremities was noted.
Findings:
- The acardiac twin presented with significant cephalic development.
- Notably, this occurred in the absence of upper extremity development.
- This contrasts with the typical presentation where cephalic development correlates with upper extremity presence.
Implications:
- The twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) theory remains the leading explanation for acardia.
- Findings suggest a complex interplay between perfusion and developmental patterning.
- Further research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms driving acardiac anomalies with atypical limb development.
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