Abnormalities resulting from intra-adnexal injection of glucose in the rabbit embryo--an experimental model of "amniotic disease".

Intra-adnexal injections of glucose into the rabbit embryo have induced amputations of digits or segments of limbs, congenital grooves, amniotic bands, club feet, syndactyly, hare lip, anencephaly, and ulcerations of the scalp. We have thus reproduced all the anomalies which are encountered in the clinical syndrome of "amniotic disease." These anomalies result from destruction of the cutaneous epithelium and the subjacent mesenchymatous cells, and extravasation of blood with hematoma formation around the superficial vessels. This general mechanism explains most of these anomalies. Intra-adnexal injections of glucose thus constitute an external trauma for the embryo and is good experimental model of amniotic disease.