Fetal manifestation of the Fine-Lubinsky syndrome. Brachycephaly, deafness, cataract, microstomia and mental retardation syndrome complicated by Pierre-Robin anomaly and polyhydramnios.

OBJECTIVES

We report on a female fetus of 24 weeks gestational age with Fine-Lubinsky syndrome (FLS), representing the 7th case published so far.

METHODS

Prenatal ultrasound was performed at 22+1 weeks of gestation and thorough postmortem examination was made after termination of pregnancy.

RESULTS

The diagnosis of FLS in the fetus was based on characteristic features that were already apparent in early prenatal life, such as growth deficiency, brachycephaly, flat face with associated dysmorphic signs, microstomia and cataract, while deafness and mental retardation, which are syndrome-specific functional disorders and evident only postnatally, could not be taken into account.

CONCLUSIONS

This case demonstrates the diagnostic problems in fetal syndromology if syndrome-specific features are not yet recognizable and additional complications occur that had not been observed in this disorder.