Embryological, clinical and anatomopathological considerations on a very rare case of a bicephalous fetus (dicephalus dipus dibrachius)

Vol. 54 No. 2, 2013

ROMANIAN JOURNAL of MORPHOLOGY and EMBRYOLOGY

Anca Patrascu, M. R. Stanescu, V. Gheorman, A. M. Goganau, Simona Ianosi, D. Camen, Cecilia Mitrulescu, Elena Ionescu

In this paper, we present the very rare case of a 21 weeks pregnant woman, examined clinically and by ultrasound. We could observe the present of two heads and a common trunk and therefore we proceeded to the small caesarian of necessity. We examined the fetus from the clinical and pathological point of view and we could observe a rare case of pregnancy with a bicephalous malformed fetus. During the autopsy, we could reveal the common elements and the devised ones, which are described as it follows. The case is a very rare one and that probably explains the fact that until the 21 weeks examination, even if she was clinically and ultrasound examined there was the appreciation that it was a twin pregnancy with a normal evolution. In this case, it is necessary to underline that the difficulties concerning the diagnosis and the medical behavior are also because the patient was a primipara 34-year-old woman without any pathological or specific family history. This case analysis shows the necessity of a preconception genetic advice together with the extension of the analysis of the genetic risk in all mothers under 35-year-old, mandatory and supported by the medical system. At the same time, an ultrasound examination of great performance proves to be necessary in order not to prolong the development of a pathological pregnancy.

Corresponding author: Anca Patrascu, Associate Professor, MD, PhD; e-mail: patrascuanca@yahoo.com

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