title: Foramen magnum decompression in an infant with homozygous achondroplasia. Case report.
abstract: Homozygous achondroplasia is a rare yet distinct clinical entity. Most infants succumb to an early death as a result of respiratory compromise due to upper airway obstruction, thoracic cage deformity, and/or cervicomedullary compression. The successful cervicomedullary decompression of a 16-week-old infant with homozygous achondroplasia is described. This report suggests that homozygous achondroplasia is not universally fatal and that these infants are potentially viable if managed by aggressive respiratory and surgical measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moskowitz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kopits
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery*; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed