Rudimentary third lower limb in association with spinal dysraphism: Two cases.

Area of Science:

• Medical Genetics
• Developmental Biology
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Spinal dysraphism encompasses a spectrum of congenital vertebral malformations.
• Associated anomalies are frequent, but limb malformations are exceptionally rare.
• Tripagus, a condition involving a third limb, is an extremely uncommon finding in spinal dysraphism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report two rare cases of spinal dysraphism with an associated rudimentary third limb.
• To describe the anatomical origin of the rudimentary limb in these cases.
• To contribute to the literature on rare congenital anomalies.

Main Methods:

• Case review of patients diagnosed with spinal dysraphism and limb anomalies.
• Clinical examination and imaging studies (e.g., MRI, CT) to assess spinal and limb malformations.
• Surgical assessment and potential intervention planning.

Main Results:

• Two cases of spinal dysraphism were identified with a rudimentary third limb.
• The rudimentary limb in both cases originated from the iliac bone.
• Detailed imaging and clinical findings were documented for each case.

Conclusions:

• Spinal dysraphism can present with extremely rare anomalies like Tripagus.
• The ilium is a potential site for the origin of rudimentary third limbs in spinal dysraphism.
• Further investigation into the embryological basis of these rare associations is warranted.