[Phocomelia in Africa: thoughts about a case report]

Phocomelia is a developmental abnormality which occurs during pregnancy and results in congenital ectromelia (developmental arrest of one or more limbs), with characteristically atrophied limbs that look as if they were directly implanted on the trunk, that is, like seal (phocid) flippers. The authors report the case of a Cameroonian neonate. Abnormalities were limited to the upper limbs. The lack of useful causal information and especially the difficulties in therapeutic management in this context are highlighted.