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Case Report
Liveborn case of limb-body wall complex with identification of the extraembryonic coelomic cavity on third trimester ultrasound
1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, United States
2 Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Yanling Dong
MD, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Phipps 214, Baltimore, MD 21287,
United States
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Article ID: 100227Z08YD2026
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Dong Y, Guthrie T, Nauen D, Blakemore K. Liveborn case of limb-body wall complex with identification of the extraembryonic coelomic cavity on third trimester ultrasound. J Case Rep Images Obstet Gynecol 2026;12(1):27–31.ABSTRACT
Introduction: Limb-body wall complex (LBWC), also known as body stalk anomaly, is a rare and lethal congenital condition affecting multiple organ systems, including the abdominal and thoracic walls, limbs, craniofacial structures, and spine. It is characterized by visceral attachment to the placenta with a short or absent umbilical cord, along with spinal deformities. The exact pathogenesis of LBWC remains unknown, though several theories have been proposed, including early amnion rupture, primary ectodermal failure of the embryonic disc, and impaired embryonic blood flow. The herniation of abdominal contents into the extraembryonic coelomic cavity, the space between the chorion and the amnion, rather than the amniotic cavity, helps differentiate LBWC from complex omphalocele.
Case Report: We present the ultrasound findings of LBWC in a patient at 32 weeks and 5 days who presented with preterm contractions and suspected rupture of membranes. Despite it being unusual to observe the space between the amnion and chorion at this gestational age, prenatal ultrasound clearly revealed significant herniation of intra-abdominal organs into the extraembryonic coelomic cavity. The patient subsequently underwent a liveborn vaginal delivery the following day.
Conclusion: Recognition of herniation of abdominal contents into the extraembryonic coelomic cavity can help differentiate LBWC from other anterior abdominal wall defects, even in late gestation. Accurate diagnosis of LBWC in the third trimester can facilitate appropriate patient counseling and perinatal care planning.
Keywords: Body stalk anomaly, Extraembryonic coelomic cavity, Limb-body wall complex, Prenatal ultrasound
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Acknowledgments
The authors wrote the original manuscript. ChatGPT (OpenAI, GPT-4 model) was used solely to assist with language editing and improvement of grammar and clarity in portions of the manuscript. No data, results, analyses, or scientific content were generated by artificial intelligence. The authors take full responsibility for the content of this article.
Author ContributionsYanling Dong - Substantial contributions to conception and design, Drafting the article, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Tracee Guthrie - Acquisition of data, Analysis of data, Interpretation of data, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
David Nauen - Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Karin Blakemore - Substantial contributions to conception and design, Revising it critically for important intellectual content, Final approval of the version to be published
Guaranter of SubmissionThe corresponding author is the guarantor of submission.
Source of SupportNone
Consent StatementWritten informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this article.
Data AvailabilityAll relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.
Conflict of InterestAuthors declare no conflict of interest.
Copyright© 2026 Yanling Dong et al. This article is distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided the original author(s) and original publisher are properly credited. Please see the copyright policy on the journal website for more information.
