ANATOMICAL STUDY OF 5 PRENATALLY DIAGNOSED STERNOPAGUS TWINS

Among conjoined twins (1 out 50000 births), thoracopagus occurs most f requently and is generally lethal. Our anatomical study of five sets o f sternopagus twins (3 female, 2 male) was performed to determine the ability of prenatal sonography to detect these anomalies. Autopsy in f our cases revealed identical malformations: common sternum, single mal formed heart, joined hepatic parenchyma, and a common small bowel lead ing to a cystic dilatation situated on the ileal segment at the end of the superior mesenteric artery. The diagnosis of conjoined twins was made in all cases by prenatal sonography at the mean time of 24.6 gest ation weeks (range 19-34). The malformations detected by prenatal sono graphy were a single cardiac mass (all cases), joined hepatic parenchy mas (3 cases), and an ileal cystic dilatation (1 case). Pregnancy was terminated in four cases. In one case cesarean delivery was performed, and the infants died 48 hours later. Prenatal sonography currently se ems to be the best examination for diagnosis of sternopagus twins and the detection of lethal malformations thus allowing interruption of pr egnancy.