Tetra-Amelia Syndrome

Tetra-amelia syndrome is a very rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. This syndrome can also cause severe malformations of other parts of the body, including the face and head, heart, nervous system, skeleton, and genitalia. The lungs are underdeveloped in many cases, which makes breathing difficult or impossible. Because children with tetra-amelia syndrome have such serious medical problems, most are stillborn or die shortly after birth. The condition has been associated with a mutation in the WNT3 gene in one family, and it appears to be inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Treatment for those that survive depends upon the presence and severity of the associated symptoms and may require the coordinated efforts of a team of specialists.