Life Without Limbs: Tetra-amelia

Amelia is defined as the complete absence of the skeletal parts of a limb. Tetra- amelia, is the absence of all thefour limbs is a very rare condition with an incidence range of 1.5–4/100,000 births. Many factors causingvarious limb defects are genetic, environmental (teratogens), vascular compromise by amniotic bands andconditions like oligohydraminos and maternal diabetes. Point mutation in the WNT gene plays a major role incausing limb defects.

Thoracoscopic and endovascular management of retained haemothoarx associated with an intercostal artery pseudoaneurysm.

Intercostal artery pseudoaneurysm (IAP) is a rare entity and may complicate a percutaneous intervention through an intercostal space or follow thoracic trauma. Its rupture into the pleural space can give rise to haemothorax, which if untreated may lead to a retained haemothorax (RH). Traditionally both the IAP and the RH are managed by a thoracotomy. We report a patient who developed an IAP with haemothorax following a trauma. The diagnosis was established by computed tomography. The patient was treated by endovascular embolisation of the IAP followed by thoracoscopic decortications of the RH.