Acephaly: further evidence for disruption but not for amniotic bands.
Complete absence of the fetal head in singleton pregnancies is a very rare defect; to our knowledge there are only 7 reported cases. Decapitation by amniotic bands has been considered as the most probable cause. However, in none of the described cases except one were amniotic bands, constriction rings, or other related findings observed, raising the possibility that mechanisms other than amputation by amniotic bands are involved. We present a further case of acephaly and discuss the role of amniotic bands and alternative mechanisms of decapitation and a possible sequence of events leading to acephaly.
Pathology Unit, Department of Diagnostics, Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. mrittler@fibertel.comar
Nancy
N
Mazzitelli
Liliana
L
Vauthay
Jaen
J
Oliveri
Belen
B
Maccarone
Monica
M
Rittler
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D000025:Abortion, Eugenic; D000328:Adult; D000652:Amniotic Band Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D049248:Decapitation; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy