SHORT-RIB POLYDACTYLY SYNDROME (SRPS) TYPE-III DIAGNOSED DURING ROUTINE PRENATAL ULTRASONOGRAPHIC SCREENING - A CASE-REPORT

The prenatal diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias is often initiated by th e finding of a shortened extremity during a routine sonographic examin ation. Second-trimester diagnosis of these anomalies allows the couple to consider the option of terminating a pregnancy when a lethal anoma ly is detected, A 21-year-old Bedouin woman underwent routine ultrason ographic screening at 20 weeks' gestation. Severe micromelia, a narrow thorax with shortened ribs, and postaxial polydactyly were detected. The patient delivered a male dwarf at 20 weeks' gestation following pr ostaglandin induction of labour for a diagnosis of short-rib polydacty ly syndrome type III. The prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis of short -rib polydactyly syndrome type III was made at 20 weeks' gestation, al lowing termination of the pregnancy. A proper sonographic approach to skeletal dysplasias allows both early detection and differentiation be tween lethal and non-lethal anomalies.