Möbius' syndrome: features and etiology.

PURPOSE: To review the clinical features and possible aetiology of all cases of Möbius' syndrome presented at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children in Sydney, Australia, from 1963 through 1995.

METHODS

All charts of patients suffering from Möbius' syndrome were reviewed, and each patient was thoroughly assessed by a geneticist and a pediatric ophthalmologist.

RESULTS

Patterns of systemic and ocular clinical features became evident. Of 23 patients in the series, 10 (43%) had a history significant events in utero.

CONCLUSIONS

All patients suffering from Möbius' syndrome require thorough assessment by a multidisciplinary team including a geneticist or pediatrician and a pediatric ophthalmologist. Significant vascular events of pregnancy may explain some cases of fetal vascular disruption to the brainstem.