P11.09: Antenatal diagnosis of limb-body wall complex with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging—case report

Limb-body wall complex (LBWC) is a fetal malformation with the essential features of neural tube defects, body wall disruption and limb abnormalities. The diagnosis is made by the presence of at least two of the above features. In the present case of LBWC, the body defects were large, involving both the thorax and abdomen. The eviscerated organs form a complex, bizarre-appearing mass entangled with membranes. Fetal membranes are continuous with the body-wall defect and the placenta. Severe scoliosis was present. Distorted fetal position and the severity of the defects made recognition of normal fetal parts difficult. These defects were diagnosed antenatally with ultrasonography and MRI at 23 weeks' gestation. We conclude that it is important to diagnose the lesion prenatally and to differentiate them from other anterior abdominal wall defects. Ultrasonographic examination and MRI is the key to prenatal diagnosis.