Mondo Description VACTERL is an acronym for Vertebral anomalies, Anal atresia, Congenital cardiac disease, tracheoesophageal fistula, Renal anomalies, and Limb defects. VACTERL associated with hydrocephalus has rarely been reported and is thought to be an autosomal recessive anomaly. The condition is described as a uniformly lethal or developmentally devastating disorder distinct from the VATER association.