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Published on: November 20, 2015
Case of polyhydramnios complicated by Opitz G/BBB syndrome
Hiroko Tajima1, Hiroaki Itoh, Ayako Mochizuki
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
Insights
Opitz G/BBB syndrome, a congenital midline defect disorder, can cause severe dysphagia leading to polyhydramnios in male fetuses. Maternal hypertelorism may indicate a risk for this condition in male infants.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Developmental Biology
- Congenital Disorders
Background:
- Opitz G/BBB syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by midline defects and dysphagia.
- Dysphagia in this syndrome is often linked to laryngo-tracheo-esophageal abnormalities.
Observation:
- A case of polyhydramnios in a male dichorionic diamniotic twin is presented.
- The affected twin was diagnosed with Opitz G/BBB syndrome postnatally.
Findings:
- Severe dysphagia in the affected twin is suggested as the cause of polyhydramnios.
- Opitz G/BBB syndrome typically affects males more severely than females.
Implications:
- Considering maternal hypertelorism in the differential diagnosis of unexplained polyhydramnios in male fetuses is recommended.
- This highlights a potential prenatal indicator for Opitz G/BBB syndrome in male infants.
Abstract:
Opitz G/BBB syndrome is a congenital disorder characterized by midline defects, such as hypertelorism, cleft lip and/or palate, hypospadias, and by dysphagia often caused by laryngo-tracheo-esophageal abnormalities. We experienced a case of polyhydramnios in a male dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twin, who was diagnosed with Opitz G/BBB syndrome after birth. It is suggested that severe dysphagia was causatively associated with the development of polyhydramnios. In cases of Opitz G/BBB syndrome, boys are usually more heavily affected than girls, who generally manifest only hypertelorism. In the differential diagnosis of polyhydramnios of unidentified cause in male fetuses, it may be helpful to consider maternal facial characteristics, especially hypertelorism.
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