title: Sirenomelia: a review of embryogenic theories and discussion of the differences from caudal regression syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the pathological features of sirenomelia in the light of our 10 cases and review the current theories.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified 10 patients with sirenomelia from our hospital database. All clinical details and the autopsy features of 10 cases were noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 10 children with sirenomelia seven had bilateral renal agenesis, three had bladder agenesis and one had a renal hypoplasia. Single umbilical artery was found in 60% of children with sirenomelia. External genitalia was ambiguous in seven of 10 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though the etiology of caudal regression syndrome (CRS) and sirenomelia remains unknown we tend to believe that sirenomelia and CRS might be different entities.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology and.
authors.forename: Ecmel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isik Kaygusuz
authors.affiliation: b Department of Gynecology , Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital , Istanbul , Turkey , and.
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurek Eken
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , Sifa University , Izmir , Turkey.
authors.forename: Oya Nermin
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Sivrikoz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology and.
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cetiner
mesh_terms: D004480:Ectromelia / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Caudal regression syndrome; single umbilical artery; sirenomelia