CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCULATURE

Abstract

From an anatomic standpoint congenital absence of individual muscles is not rare. Shackleton1found absence of the palmaris longus muscle in 11.5 per cent of cases studied and of the pyramidalis muscle in 39.5 per cent. From a clinicopathologic point of view, however, only those muscular defects which produce functional disturbances or changes in the contour of the body are recognized. The most common site of such inborn muscular aplasia is the shoulder girdle, special predilection being evinced for the pectoral muscles. Of much less frequent occurrence is congenital absence of the abdominal muscles. This condition is of unusual interest because of commonly coexistent disorders in the genitourinary system. The case reported is one of congenital absence of the abdominal musculature associated with hypertrophy of the urinary bladder, dilatation of both ureters and renal pelves and cryptorchidism. REPORT OF A CASE History.—F. S., a white boy aged 3