Omphalocele and pericardial effusion: possible sonographic markers for the pentalogy of Cantrell or its variants.

Abstract

The pentalogy of Cantrell consists of defects involving the diaphragm, abdominal wall, pericardium heart, and lower sternum. We report three cases of the pentalogy of Cantrell (variant form), involving an omphalocele complicated by an anterior diaphragmatic hernia. In two cases, a pericardial effusion was noted at antenatal scanning; the case without a pericardial effusion had an intact diaphragmatic pericardium at surgical repair. The presence of a pericardial effusion in association with an omphalocele should prompt a detailed search for other features of the pentalogy of Cantrell or its variants.