Anencephaly and faciocranioschisis: evidence of complete failure of closure 3 of the neural tube in humans.

We report on a patient with median cleft of face and anencephaly as apparent consequence of delayed closure of the most rostral end of the neural tube. No other structural anomalies were found. To our knowledge, this child represents the first description of an isolated and complete failure of closure 3 of the neural tube and supports the hypothesis of a multi-site model of neural tube closure in humans.