title: Acardia syndrome coexisting with gastroschisis in the co-twin.
abstract: Acardia syndrome is a rare complication affecting monozygotic twins, wherein one twin fails to develop brain and thoracic structures, while the co-twin most often develops normally. In this report we present an acardiac anencephalic monozygotic twin with an omphalocoele and a co-twin with severe intrauterine growth retardation and gastroschisis. The presence of gastroschisis in the co-twin of an acardiac foetus is rare. The embryologic basis of the twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence is outlined and the observed anomalies in the co-twin traced to a similar pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Departments of aHuman and Clinical Anatomy Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Habbal
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kenue
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venugopalan
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic