Anatomopathological and imaging correlation of Limb-Body Wall Complex: A 20-week gestation case report with a targeted literature review of the Latin American literature

Limb-Body Wall Complex (LBWC) is a fatal fetal anomaly with sparse documentation in Latin America. We present the anatomopathological and radiographic correlation of a placento-abdominal LBWC case alongside a targeted literature review of the Latin American literature. A 27-year-old primigravida with first-trimester bleeding and occupational radiation exposure presented with a spontaneous abortion at 20 weeks. Post-mortem macroscopic and radiographic evaluations were conducted, complemented by a literature review across four databases. Ultrasound at 16 weeks suspected LBWC. Autopsy confirmed massive left thoracoabdominal evisceration, a short umbilical cord, lower limb hypogenesis, and severe kyphoscoliosis. The literature review ( n = 10) revealed that among the limited published Latin American cases available for review, all reported cases with sufficient phenotypic description were classified as placento-abdominal LBWC. Early comprehensive ultrasound is critical. Post-mortem correlation confirms the diagnosis, informs genetic counseling, and highlights distinct regional phenotypic trends.