VATER association
Definition
VATER association describes a pattern of related birth defects in the same infant involving three or more of the following: vertebrae (spine), anus and rectum, heart, trachea (windpipe), esophagus, radius (bone of the arm), and kidneys. Infants can have any combination of features and there is a wide range of severity. Survival and medical complications depend on the extent and severity of features in each case.
Description
Quan and Smith first developed the term VATER association in 1973 to describe a similar pattern of birth defects in more than one infant. The problems at birth did not represent a certain syndrome but appeared to be associated since they were present in several babies. VATER is an acronym or abbreviation representing the first letter of each feature in the...
[The entire page is 3182 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
