Brachydactyly
Brachydactyly Definition
Brachydactyly (BD) refers to shortening of the fingers or toes that results from the underdevelopment of the bones in the hands or feet. Brachydactyly is a medical term is literally meaning "shortness of the fingers and toes". The shortness is relative to the length of the individual's other long bones and other parts of the body. Brachydactyly is an inherited trait, usually dominat.. It most frequently occurs as an isolated dysmelia, but can also occur with other anomalies as part of many congenital syndromes. Brachydactyly is a general term that refers to disproportionately shortened fingers and toes. It can arise as an isolated finding, or be associated with a pattern of medical findings, called a syndrome. To date, many different forms of brachydactyly have been categorized. As a group, they always include extremely shortened tubular bones in the hands and feet. Some forms also lead to short stature, while others do not. The majority of types of isolated brachydactyly are passed on as autosomal dominant conditions. Radiographic studies (X-rays) can aid physicians differentiate between the different types of brachydactyly.