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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Method of Studying Palatal Fusion using Static Organ Culture
Published on: September 19, 2015
Conjoined twins with mirror-image cleft lip and palate: case report in Brazil
Gisele da Silva Dalben1, Mireile São Geraldo Dos Santos Souza, Carlos Henrique Bettoni Cruz de Castro
1Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. gsdalben@usp.br
Abstract:
The observation of mirror-image clefts in conjoined twins may suggest an influence from environmental factors (e.g., poor blood supply) on the appearance of clefts. The present paper reports on a pair of male thoracopagus twins born to a 20-year-old woman. The twins were stillborn. Both twins exhibited complete unilateral cleft lip and palate with mirror-image configuration, affecting the left side for twin A and the right side for twin B. The twins also shared some organs. The case is discussed with similar information in the literature, with reference to possible related etiologic factors. Reporting on such occurrences throughout the world is important to shed light on important aspects underlying the formation of clefts.