CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES

Abstract

CONGENITAL absence of the abdominal muscles is a rare malformation; the absence of an entire muscle group is less common than that of individual muscles, and bilateral involvement is less common than unilateral. Absence of muscles of the lower part of the trunk or of the extremities has been reported infrequently in the literature. The most commonly described defects are in the pectoral muscles. In Bing's¹ collection 102 cases of absence of the pectoral muscles were recorded, in contrast to the relatively small number of instances in which other muscles, including the abdominal, were absent. According to Baxter,² 186 cases of congenital defects of the pectoral muscles had been reported by 1909, in comparison with 11 cases of deficiency of the abdominal muscles. A total of 45 cases of congenital absence of the abdominal muscles has been reported to date. Congenital anomalies of the genitourinary tract have been