An infant with a partial trisomy 18(pter yields q11:) is described. The patient's phenotype consists of many features of complete trisomy 18. The findings are compared with those from similar cases reported in the literature permitting to conclude that 18q121-q122 segment is the "critical" zone which when trisomic, causes the severe stigmata (inner organ malformations and early death) of the complete trisomy 18.