Strophosomia is a severe form of congenital ventral fissure, all abdominal and thoracic viscera being free in the uterus.
It is an extreme case of celosomia.
In humans
It is a very rare dysmorphic feature in humans.
In farm animals
The condition occurs regularly in calves and lambs. The spine is flexed 180° so that the caudal region is near the neck, in so-called Schizosoma reflexum.
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in a calve
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in an other calve
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with placenta, after cesarian section; viscera had been removed by a former obstetrician
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same case, showing total bending of spinal cord
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in a lamb
During the obstetrical operations, the viscera are reached first, but the four limbs fold backwards may be barely accessible.
Cesarian section is often required in cows. Fetotomy can resolve the condition in ewes.
References
- "Strophosomia".
- R(oger) Hanset, Cours de tératologie (vétérinaire), student-made edition, University of Liège, undated (circa 1970); the author often refers to Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.
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