The increased incidence of fetal malformation after gestational exposure to hydantoin has been reported in pediatric,1 obstetric,1 and general medical3 journals but not previously, to my knowledge, in the dermatologic literature. The distinctive cutaneous features of the fetal hydantoin syndrome may bring the disorder to the attention of the dermatologist.
This report involves a 7-year-old girl with congenital cutaneous malformations who was seen previously by many physicians and in whom the diagnosis of fetal hydantoin syndrome had not been made.
Report of a Case
A 7-year-old girl was seen by us for evaluation of congenital nail hypoplasia.She was born at term to a 24-year-old woman whose epilepsy had been treated with phenytoin sodium and phenobarbital for many years. The patient's birth weight had been 3.9 kg, and the mother had noted that the patient had several teeth at birth but had no fingernails or toenails. Her