Potter syndrome
What is Potter syndrome?
The prinicpal problem in Potter syndrome is kidney failure. The kidneys fail to develop properly as the fetus is developing. The kidneys normally
produce the amniotic fluid (as urine). The lack of amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios) can lead to typical physical features that are associated with
Potter syndrome. Oligohydramnios occurs if the volume of amniotic fluid is less than normal for the corresponding period of gestation. This may be
due to decreased urine production due to bilateral renal agenesis, obstruction of the urinary tract, or occasionally, prolonged rupture of the
amniotic membranes. Fetal urine is also critical to the proper development of the lungs by helping to expand the airways and supplying Proline, a
critical amino acid to the lungs. Potter syndrome or Potter Sequence is a sequence of events that can be linked to various causes of renal failure.
Please see the following sites for more information on Potter syndrome:
eMedicine
Medscape
Potter's Syndrome FAQ's Potter's Syndrome Org
Medline Plus U.S. National Library of Medicine
PubMed Health National Center for Biotechnology Information