Absence of the ductus venosus: a case report

The ductus venosus connects the umbilical vein with the inferior vena cava permitting oxygenated blood to return from the placenta to the fetal heart. Its absence has been recorded infrequently and has been associated with fetal demise. A case in which the umbilical vein joined tributaries of the hepatic vein and was associated with cardiomyopathy and early death from respiratory failure, is presented.