A baby girl was born via cesarean section at 38 weeks’ gestation with her left arm severely swollen, purple, and with limited mobility. The most surprising thing is that the problem had already been detected weeks before her birth.
At 28 weeks, a prenatal ultrasound had shown swelling of the arm tissue, but at that point the cause was unclear. After birth, doctors observed two areas of constriction around the wrist and upper forearm, while the shoulder and part of the chest also showed swelling and a bluish discoloration.
Although the arteries in the arm still had a pulse, an MRI revealed what was happening: two bands of fibrous tissue were passing through the deep layers and compressing the limb.
The diagnosis was amniotic band sequence, a rare complication that can occur when the inner membrane surrounding the fetus ruptures during pregnancy. Some parts of the body can become trapped by these bands and experience progressive pressure.
Depending on the area affected and the severity of the compression, the problem can cause anything from swelling and constriction rings to more serious injuries and even amputation of fingers or limbs.
In this case, doctors managed to identify the bands responsible for the newborn’s unusual arm appearance. What had seemed like unexplained swelling had begun developing while the baby was still in the womb.