Arachnodactyly

Many women, going for a manicure, dream of having beautiful long fingers. But, it happens that their length can be associated with arachnodactyly.

This is a congenital and fortunately rare pathology, the main features of which are too long, thin and curved fingers . Of course, in this case, there is no need to talk about graceful hands - the disease requires treatment.

Causes

Modern medicine tends to believe that the manifestation of the disease is associated with an imbalance of enzymes that control proteins and their formations. However, the exact reasons have not yet been clarified. It can be transmitted genetically, then all family members get sick, or it can occur spontaneously.

The immediate cause of the mutation is the replacement of proteins. Instead of fibrillin-1, arginine begins to be produced. An additional factor is the violation of a proper healthy lifestyle by a pregnant mother.

Symptoms of the disease

The main manifestation of arachnodactyly is a significant elongation of all tubular bones of the body, which include:

• phalanges of hands and feet;
• metacarpal and metatarsal bones.

Changes in the bones of the skull and skeleton are possible. People with this disease have narrow and excessively long arms, the hands are also very long with thin fingers that bend easily. They somewhat resemble spider legs, which was the reason for the appearance of the name of the disease. But, violations of the musculoskeletal system are not the only changes in the patient's body. In addition, they also have:

• disorders in the cardiovascular system;
• eye damage.

All pathologies begin during the development of the fetus. At the birth of a child, changes can already be seen. The disease develops in parallel with the developing and growing body of the child.

Unfortunately, the disease is characterized by a high percentage of deaths in childhood. Only a few survive to maturity. The appearance of the hands is also different:

• between the fingers, elbow joints and knees there are leathery membranes;
• muscles are quite strongly atrophied;
• practically no cartilage;
• flabbiness of the ligaments.

Also, patients are almost completely absent subcutaneous fatty tissue. People with arachnodactyly can hardly move independently. Often they are tied to the bed and completely dependent on others.

Patients with arachnodactyly are not to blame for their disease, therefore, they, as well as people with other deviations in appearance, must be treated with understanding.