
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Potter syndrome historical perspective
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Historical Perspective
Historical Perspective
Bilateral Renal Agenesis (BRA) was first recognized as a defect of human fetal development in 1671 by Wolfstrigel. However, it was not until 1946 when Edith Potter (b.1901 – d.1993) extensively and painstakingly described the BRA phenotype of the human fetus that the defect was fully appreciated.[1] Up until this time the condition itself was considered to be extremely rare. However, in part to Potter’s work it has come to light that the condition presents far more frequently than previously reported. Potter analyzed approximately 5000 autopsy cases performed on fetuses and newborn infants over a period of ten years and found that 20 of these infants presented with BRA, all of which had distinctive facial characteristics. These facial characteristics have subsequently be termed as being known as Potter facies. From her analysis she was able to deduce the sequence of events that leads to what is now known as Potter Syndrome, Potter Sequence, or Oligohydramnios Sequence. Potter went on to become a pioneer in the field of human renal development and her contributions are still employed and appreciated by clinicians and researchers to this day.
References
References
- ↑ Potter EL. Bilateral Renal Agenesis. J Pediatr. 1946; 29:68.; Potter EL. Facial characteristics in infants with bilateral renal agenesis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1946; 51:885.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
