title: [Prenatal ultrasound aspects of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the contribution of prenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of arthrogryposis multiplex congenital according to its type and antenatal expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study led between January 1993 and November 2007. We studied the cases of arthrogryposis suspected or diagnosed by antenatal ultrasound while analyzing the circumstances of discovery, the profile of the pregnant women and the abnormal scan findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  16 observations have been collected. We recovered one multiple pterigium syndrome and five observations of severe fetal akinesia sequences diagnosed in the second trimester. The arthrogryposis was part of different syndromes in other cases. Four distal arthrogryposis had been diagnosed in the second trimester. All cases suspected during the third trimester were associated to an anomaly of the amniotic fluid, mainly to a polyhydramnios. The abnormal scan findings were less specific to this term.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthrogryposis multiplex congenital is rare. It has several morphological aspects. Some ultrasound aspects are specific in the first and second trimesters. The diagnosis is more difficult at the third trimester.
authors.affiliation: Service A, Centre de Maternité et de Néonatalogie, Tunis.
authors.forename: Dalenda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chelli
authors.forename: Kaouther
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dimassi
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouaziz
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Jemaa
authors.forename: Béchir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zouaoui
authors.forename: Ezzeddine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sfar
authors.forename: Héla
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chelli
authors.forename: Mohamed Badis
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Channoufi
authors.forename: Soumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaigi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001176:Arthrogryposis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult