Is ectopia cordis rare?
Ectopia cordis (EC) is a rare congenital anomaly associated with the heart positioned outside of the thoracic cavity either partially or completely.
How early can ectopia cordis be detected?
Ectopia cordis can be readily diagnosed in utero as early as the first trimester or in the second trimester of pregnancy by about the 10th or 11th week thanks to the advent of ultrasound. If not discovered during pregnancy, it becomes obvious as soon as the baby is born.
Is ectopia cordis genetic?
Ectopia cordis is a rare genetic defect. During a baby’s development in utero, their chest wall doesn’t form correctly. It also doesn’t fuse together as it normally would.
What is an ectopia cordis?
Ectopia cordis is defined as complete or partial displacement of the heart outside the thoracic cavity. It is a rare congenital defect in fusion of the anterior chest wall resulting in extra thoracic location of the heart. Its estimated prevalence is 5.5–7.9 per million live births.
Is SPS fatal?
Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is considered dangerous in babies because they generally meet unfortunate and untimely death within a few months. The normal lifespan of a grown adult can be stated as 50 years (if symptoms start early).
How common is ectopia cordis in babies?
It tends to go hand-in-hand with other birth defects in the heart or belly area. Only eight of 1 million babies have ectopia cordis. And while most of them are either stillborn or die within 3 days after birth, there is reason for some hope.
What is the prognosis of ectopia cordis and pentalogy of Cantrell?
Some studies have suggested a better prognosis with surgery in cases of thoracoabdominal ectopia cordis or less severe pentalogy of Cantrell. In general, the prognosis for ectopia cordis is poor—most cases result in death shortly after birth due to infection, hypoxemia, or cardiac failure.
How early can ectopic Cordis be detected?
This condition is often diagnosed by ultrasound and can occur as early as the first trimester. If not discovered during pregnancy, it becomes obvious as soon as the baby is born. What are the treatment options for ectopic cordis?
Can AFSCs be used to repair ectopia cordis?
Ectopia cordis, one of the most severe of chest wall defects, presents with protrusion of the heart through a split sternum. AFSCs have been used to engineer osseous nanofiber grafts for the treatment of postnatal sternal repair in a rabbit model [97].