Sirenomelia Mermaid Syndrome- a very rare congenital deformity in which the legs are fused together giving the appearance of a mermaid’s tail

This condition is found in one out of every 100,000 live births About as rare as conjoined twins The syndrome can be found in all groups of people More than half the cases result in stillbirth Usually fatal within a day or two of birth because of abnormal kidney and urinary bladder development and function

The causes of this malformation remain unknown The discovery that it can have a genetic basis in mice represents an important step towards the understanding of its pathogenesis

The mildest cases: all bones of the two fused lower limbs are discernible The most severe cases: there is no indication that the single rudimentary lower limb is derived from the fusion of two In some cases the legs can be separated, but complications sometimes prevent it

Famous Case Shiloh Pepin ( ) was born in Maine Lower extremities fused, no bladder, rectum, uterus, vagina, only 6 inches of large colon, one quarter of kidney, and one ovary Only few months of life was expected Original kidney failed at 3 months of age, went on dialysis, had a transplant at age 2, and a second transplant at age 8 One of only three people in the world to have survived this condition for any length of time and finally died of pneumonia at the age of 10.

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