Phu Tho Provincial Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said that doctors of the Department of General Pediatric Surgery have just operated on a newborn with amniotic fluid spondylosis syndrome, causing constriction at many locations in the arms and legs.
The patient is the second child of pregnant woman B.T. T. N. (residing in Son Dong commune, Phu Tho), born by cesarean section, weighing 3kg. Immediately after birth, the child cried loudly, had good reflexes but was found to have many congenital abnormalities in his arms and legs.
Through examination, doctors determined that the child had a skin ring tightening the left calf; skin ring tightening at fingers III and IV on both sides of the hand due to amniotic fistula syndrome, accompanied by deformity of the left crooked foot.
Notably, signs of blood-neural obstruction appeared in the left calf, reducing blood flow to the end of the limb. Faced with the risk of limb circulation being affected, doctors decided to perform surgery on the evening of September 6, 2026, when the child was only 12 hours old.
According to the Department of General Pediatric Surgery, the surgery was difficult because the newborn baby, the blood vessel, nerve and soft tissue structures in the limb were very small, while the fibrous ring had caused compression, affecting blood circulation.
The team chose the 2nd surgical option to gradually release the ligament and ensure safety for important structures of the limb.
In the first phase, doctors partially cut the fibrous ring, cleared the compressed area, preserved blood vessels and nerves; and at the same time rotated the skin flap and sewed to restore the soft tissue at the knotted location.
After surgery, children are closely monitored for limb circulation, surgical wound and overall condition. It is expected that after about 1-3 months, when the soft tissue is stable, doctors will evaluate and perform a second surgery to treat the remaining ligament.
After 10 days of treatment, the child was stable, with pink fingertips, good mobility, and was discharged from the hospital.
Rare abnormalities in infants
According to information from the hospital, amniotic band syndrome, also known as congenital ring syndrome, occurs when fibrous tissue bands formed in the amniotic cavity wrap around a part of the fetus's body during development.
This is considered a fairly rare abnormality, with a rate of about 1 in 10,000 to 15,000 births. The manifestations of the syndrome are very diverse, constrictions can appear in fingers, toes, forearms, calves or other locations.
Depending on the location, depth and degree of compression, the fibrous ring may only create hollows on the skin or cause deep compression, affecting the development of the limb. In severe cases, it can hinder blood flow to the tip of the limb.
According to doctors, cases with signs of limb circulation need to be assessed and treated promptly. Early detection of reduced irrigation is important in preserving limb tissue and function.
