Prenatal Diagnosis of Cloacal Exstrophy: A Case Report and Differential Diagnosis with a Simple Omphalocele

Abstract

Cloacal exstrophy is a rare congenital disorder that may lead to mortality and morbidity. Although the prenatal diagnosis of cloacal exstrophy can be made by a midtrimester ultrasound, it is difficult to differentiate it from a simple omphalocele that can be corrected completely by surgery without morbidity. We reported a case with cloacal exstrophy and reviewed previous literature on differentiating it from an omphalocele. A 33-year-old, pregnant female visited our outpatient center for prenatal care at the 22nd gestational week. The midtrimester ultrasound showed fetal anomalies including a protruding mass from umbilicus, absence of bladder, ambiguous genitalia, and bilateral renal hydronephrosis. The parents received prenatal genetic counseling and decided to continue the pregnancy. A female baby was delivered at the 37th gestational week via vaginal delivery, and cloacal exstrophy without omphalocele was diagnosed. Cloacal exstrophy is a complicated congenital disorder that should be differentiated from a simple omphalocele. Prenatal counseling and postnatal care in a tertiary medical center are important for parents and the fetus, respectively.

Keywords

• anterior abdominal wall defect
• cloacal exstrophy
• omphalocele