SKELETAL ANOMALIES IN THE ADRIAMYCIN-EXPOSED PRENATAL RAT - A MODEL FOR VATER ASSOCIATION

Vertebral and radial anomalies are prominent features of VATER (verteb ral defects, anorectal anomaly, tracheoesophageal fistula with esophag eal atresia, and radial dysplasia) association. It has been shown that exposure of the rat fetus to adriamycin produces a spectrum of anomal ies, including esophageal atresia and other features of VATER associat ion. We aimed to document the skeletal defects found in rats exposed t o teratogenic doses of adriamycin in utero. Vertebral, rib, and limb a nomalies were found in 54, 54, and 35% of these examined fetuses, resp ectively. The range of bone lesions seen in this animal model was simi lar to the range of lesions seen in infants born with VATER associatio n.