Sirenomelia

What it is

A rare, lethal, congenital anomaly that may represent the most severe form of caudal dysgenesia and characterized by fusion of the lower limbs (mermaid-like) always associated with severe genitourinary and gastrointestinal anomalies. Furthermore, there is wide phenotipical variability in the musculoskeletal, central nervous system, cardiopulmonary, anomalies present. Pelvic, sacral and spinal defects , internal and external genitalia defects, renal agenesis, absent bladder, rectal/anal atresia are commonly described. Most cases are stillborn or die during, or shortly after, birth. Sirenomelia can be classified on the basis of limb malformations phenotypes. Due to the similarity, the distinction between sirenomelia and caudal regression syndrome, familial caudal dysgenesis and VACTERL is debated.

Key facts

Prevalence

1-9 / 1 000 000 (Brazil)

Age of onset

Antenatal, Neonatal

Inheritance

Not applicable

Classified as

Malformation syndrome

Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

ICD-10 codes

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references