Antenatal diagnosis of abdominothoracic alimentary tract duplication: a case report.
Alimentary tract duplications are rare, linked in their tubular form with a disturbance of organogenesis at the time of the separation of the notochord during the 4th week of gestation. Its division leads to the formation of a supernumerary esophagus, situated in the posterior mediastinum, associated with vertebral malformations and connected at its distal extremity with the alimentary tract. We report a case of esophageal duplication revealed antenatally as an ultrasound image of fluid tonality in the posterior mediastinum, causing a major pleural effusion. The other diagnostic possibilities are discussed in terms of the anatomy, embryogenesis and ultrasonographic appearance of the lesion.
Jacquemard
F
F
Laboratoire d'Anatomie, CHRU de Rennes, France.
Palaric
J C
JC
D'Hervé
D
D
Duval
J M
JM
Darnault
P
P
Treguier
C
C
D004947:Esophagus / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011859:Radiography; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal