Fetal costello syndrome with neuromuscular spindles excess and p.Gly12Val HRAS mutation.

Costello syndrome (CS) is a rare multiple congenital disorder caused by activating germline mutations in HRAS gene and is characterized by coarse facial features, severe feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, mild to severe intellectual disability, severe postnatal growth retardation, cardiac abnormalities or cancer predisposition. Phenotypic spectrum associated with HRAS mutations is broad, ranging from attenuated CS phenotype to neonatal and lethal forms with limited genotype-phenotype correlations. Congenital myopathy with neuromuscular spindle excess has been rarely described in the literature.

Propranolol during pregnancy for large chorioangioma.

Large chorioangiomas are frequently associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Its treatment remains invasive and controversial. Infantile hemangiomas which have numerous similarities with chorioangiomas are now usually treated with propranolol.

TCF2/HNF-1beta mutations: 3 cases of fetal severe pancreatic agenesis or hypoplasia and multicystic renal dysplasia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to document the association between pancreatic agenesis or hypoplasia and multicystic renal dysplasia related to transcription factor 2 (TCF2) or hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 beta mutations.

Methodology: We describe the phenotype of the pancreas and the kidneys from three fetuses heterozygous for a mutation of TCF2.

Cases: Case 1 had bilateral hyperechogenic, multicystic kidneys, bilateral clubfoot and pancreatic agenesis.

Phenotypic spectrum of fetal Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

The Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive multiple congenital malformation syndrome caused by dehydrocholesterol reductase deficiency. The diagnosis is confirmed by high 7- and secondarily 8-dehydrocholesterol levels in plasma and tissues and/or by detection of biallelic mutations in the DHCR7 gene. The phenotypic spectrum of SLOS is broad, ranging from a mild phenotype combining subtle physical anomalies with behavioral and learning problems, to a perinatally lethal multiple malformations syndrome.

Congenital toxoplasmosis after a preconceptional or periconceptional maternal infection.

We report a case of asymptomatic congenital toxoplasmosis following a periconceptional infection of the mother. Fetal infection is very uncommon in such a situation, and mostly associated with fetal damage. We recommend that newborns undergo postnatal screening, even after maternal periconceptional infection, and receive specific therapy to reduce long-term sequelae.

Cellular mesoblastic nephroma: morphologic, cytogenetic and molecular links with congenital fibrosarcoma.

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is a rare renal tumor of early infancy with a favorable outcome after complete surgical removal. CMN consists of a heterogeneous group of spindle cell tumors subdivided into "classical", "cellular or atypical" and "mixed" forms based on histologic features. We describe a new case of cellular CMN diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonography with complete remission five years after nephrectomy.