Published in:
01-12-2012 | Case Report
Acardius Acephalus: “Headless–Heartless Nine-Month Life”
Authors:
Sabyasachi Ray, Suvadip Basak, Prakash Ch. Ghosh, Mallika Pal, Madhusudan Laga, Mamata Pradhan
Published in:
The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India
|
Special Issue 1/2012
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Excerpt
Acardiac twin is an extremely rare and bizarre complication of monochorionic twin pregnancy occurring at an incidence of 1 in 34,600 deliveries or 1 % monozygotic twins [
1]. It is also referred to as TRAP Sequence (Twin Reversed Arterial Perfusion) where as a result of arterial–arterial and venous–venous anastomoses without any arterial–venous connection, the acardiac (since it has no heart of its own) thrives as a parasite by getting blood supply from the donor hydropic twin [
2]. Acardius is commonly associated with acephaly and failure of development of most of the thoracic organs and upper limbs. …