title: Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome (CHAOS): A perinatal autopsy case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome (CHAOS) is a rare anomaly where a partial or complete obstruction of upper airway is seen. As a consequence, the foetus develops enlarged lungs, inverted or flattened diaphragm and ascites. The pathological findings in a case of CHAOS is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 28-year-old primigravida presented with a history of 5 months of amenorrhoea. Ultrasonography revealed enlarged echogenic lungs, cardiac mid-position, inverted diaphragm, foetal ascites and talipes of left foot. The parents opted for termination of pregnancy. Foetal autopsy revealed a male foetus with ascites and talipes of left foot. Lungs were massively enlarged, diaphragm was flattened. A dome-shaped cricoid cartilage at the subglottic level was seen as the cause of obstruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CHAOS is a rare anomaly. A foetal autopsy can be helpful in establishing the level and nature of the obstruction and in documenting other associated foetal anomalies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: mansi.gosavi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Manasi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: drlkumar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: ashwininov5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ashwini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratnakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, KLE University's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: drhemabannur@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Hema
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bannur
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000151:congenital* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005333:Fetus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
keywords: Airway obstruction; Ascites; Autopsy; CHAOS; Congenital abnormalities