Definition of Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP)
< b>Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP): A rare but dramatic genetic
disorder that turns muscles, tendons and ligaments into bone, threatening to transform
the victim into "a statue of stone."
FOP is characterized by physical handicap due to bone forming in the wrong places
and malformed big toes which often contain only one bone. Other features of FOP
can include short thumbs, fifth finger clinodactyly (pinkie curved toward the thumb),
malformed cervical (neck) vertebrae, short broad neck of the femur (thighbone),
deafness, scalp baldness, and mild mental retardation.
The average age at the onset of misplaced bone formation is 5 years (range: from
birth to 25 years). The most common starting sites are the neck, spine, and shoulder
girdle. Some restriction of movement is present in most (80%) cases by age 7 years.
By the age of 15 years, more than 95% of the patients have severely restricted mobility
of the arms.
Although progressive, FOP is not cancerous.
Inheritance of FOP is genetically a dominant trait. However, sporadic (with no
known family history) cases occur and are due to new mutations.
medical
dictionary, online medical dictionary, medical
terminology dictionary, free online medical
dictionary, medical dictionary, online medical
dictionary, medical terminology dictionary, free
online medical dictionary, dictionary medical,
dictionary medical online, dictionary medical
terminology, dictionary free medical online,
dictionary free medical, dictionary medical
terms, dictionary drug medical medicine,
dictionary health illustrated medical nursing
profession stedmans, dictionary English medical,
dictionary medical online terminology,
dictionary encyclopedia medical online,
condition dictionary medical, dictionary
medical, dictionary drug medical, medical
dictionary software, cyclopedic dictionary index
medical tabers thumb, medical dictionary, online
medical dictionary, medical terminology
dictionary
