Pacman dysplasia: report of two affected sibs

We report on two sib fetuses with radiological and morphological findings similar to those of the recently described lethal skeletal dysplasia termed Pacman dysplasia (McKusick, 167220, Am J Med Genet 1993, 45:558-561). The first fetus, a male, was electively terminated after a routine ultrasound study at 20 weeks showed short-limb dwarfism. The second fetus, a female sib, was also electively terminated after similar, abnormal ultrasound findings were noted at 16 weeks of gestation. Similar to Pacman dysplasia, the radiographic appearance was characterized by under-mineralized bone, stippling, rhizomelic and mesomelic shortness, platyspondyly, and a short, broad pelvis. The metaphyses were dense, but the diaphyseal cortices were thin with undermodeled long bones, and there was a deficient trabecular pattern suggesting marrow replacement. Chondro-osseous structure was characterized by deficient trabecular bone formation, a fibrous marrow, and numerous, large, multinucleated osteoclasts lining the endosteal surfaces of the metaphyseal bone. The occurrence of this dysplasia in sibs of differing sex suggests autosomal recessive inheritance.