Cardiovascular abnormalities in thoracopagus twins
Abstract
A detailed anatomopathologic study of the various developmental malformations encountered in a set of female thoracopagus twins is presented. Special emphasis has been devoted to the analysis and description of the complex cardiovascular abnormalities associated with the conjoined heart and liver of this set of twins. The heart was conjoined with two sets of great arteries. The great arteries of one twin were d-malposed and originated from a single right ventricle; a normally placed aorta originated from a single left ventricle and the hypoplastic pulmonary trunk originated from a rudimentary outlet chamber of the other twin. One twin had two atria with the systemic veins returning to the right one and an anomalous pulmonary venous return terminating in the ductus venous of her liver. The other twin had a single right atrium plus an accessory atrial chamber to which both the pulmonary and the systemic veins returned. There were two umbilical arteries originating from the internal iliac arteries of one twin and two umbilical veins which fused into one as they entered into the ductus venous of the other twin. The cardiovascular abnormalities of our case have been compared with those encountered in 25 well-documented cases of thor...Continue Reading
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Birth Defects
Birth defects encompass structural and functional alterations that occur during embryonic or fetal development and are present since birth. The cause may be genetic, environmental or unknown and can result in physical and/or mental impairment. Here is the latest research on birth defects.