Congenital anomalies in the teratological collection of museum Vrolik in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. iii: primary field defects, sequences, and other complex anomalies

Abstract

The Museum Vrolik collection of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, founded by Gerardus Vrolik (1775-1859) and his son Willem Vrolik (1801-1863), consists of more than 5,000 specimens of human and animal anatomy, embryology, pathology, and congenital anomalies. Recently, the collection of congenital anomalies, comprising 360 specimens, was recatalogued and redescribed according to contemporary morphogenetic views. The original descriptions, if preserved, were compared with the clinical, radiographical, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. In 120 specimens the following midline anomalies, primary field defects, and sequences were diagnosed: holoprosencephaly sequence; aprosencephaly/atelencephaly; cleft lip; Pierre Robin sequence; omphalocele; diaphragmatic hernia; ectopic heart; bladder exstrophy; cloacal exstrophy; caudal dysgenesis; prune belly sequence; sirenomelia; fetal akinesia sequence; and disruption sequences. Polytopic field defects and associations were diagnosed in 25 specimens. We discuss the opinions of Gerardus and Willem Vrolik, who tried to find reasonable explanations for the dysmorphogenetic entities they investigated, rather than accepting the traditional superstitions.

Congenital anomalies in the teratological collection of museum Vrolik in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. iv: closure defects of the neural tube

“…Occipito-cervical encephalocele was found in three additional specimens. In one of the these the condition was part of a polytopic field defect; this specimen is described elsewhere [Oostra et al, 1998d]. In another specimen an omphalocele was present.…”

“…Meroacranium was diagnosed in nine additional specimens. In one of these the condition was part of otocephaly holoprosencephaly complex, which was described elsewhere [Hennekam, 1992;Oostra et al, 1998d].…”

“…Lumbosacral spina bifida was diagnosed in 14 additional specimens. In seven of these the condition was part of a cloacal exstrophy [Oostra et al, 1998d].…”

“…Sacrococcygeal dysgenesis was found in one specimen in which absence of the coccygeal bone and sacral hypoplasia were part of caudal dysgenesis. This specimen is described elsewhere [Oostra et al, 1998d].…”

Congenital anomalies in the teratological collection of museum Vrolik in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. v: conjoined and acardiac twins

“…In previous papers we presented syndromes with multiple congenital anomalies [Oostra et al, 1994[Oostra et al, , 1997[Oostra et al, , 1998a[Oostra et al, , 1998c, skeletal dysplasias [Oostra et al, 1998b], primary field defects, sequences, and other complex anomalies [Oostra et al, 1998d], and neural tube defects [Oostra et al, 1998e]. Here we describe the conjoined twins (CTs) and acardiac twins and their additional congenital anomalies.…”