Familial midgut anomalies--a spectrum of defects due to the same cause?

We report three familial cases with congenital midgut anomalies: a father and his daughter with congenital midgut volvulus and a consequent intestinal obstruction and father's female sib with atresia of the ascending colon. A common hypothetical cause operating at different gestational periods will be discussed along with the possible genetic implications.