title: Soft tissue facial morphometry in subjects with Moebius syndrome.
abstract: Moebius syndrome is a congenital facial palsy associated with the impairment of ocular abduction. The three-dimensional characteristics of the facial soft tissues of 12 male and 14 female subjects [3-52 yr of age (mean age + standard deviation: 17 + 14 yr)] were measured using a non-invasive, computerized system; facial volumes, areas, angles, and distances were computed and compared with those obtained in reference subjects of the same age and gender. When compared with reference subjects, patients with Moebius syndrome had a more prominent and hyperdivergent face in the sagittal plane, a smaller and more prominent upper facial third; a smaller middle facial width; a smaller nose; smaller mandibular volume, depth, corpus length, and ramus height; and a more posterior positioned mandible, with a less prominent chin. In conclusion, patients with Moebius syndrome had a tendency towards a skeletal Class II pattern. These morphological variations may be the combined effect of a general alteration of the motor and sensitive facial nerves, including the trigeminal nerve, and of a maldevelopment of the brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana e Scienze Biomediche Città Studi, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. chiarella.sforza@unimi.it
authors.forename: Chiarella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pisoni
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Blasio
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gandolfini
authors.forename: Virgilio F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Ferrario
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002610:Cheek / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002680:Chin / Q000473:pathology; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000473:pathology; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000473:pathology; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020331:Mobius Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult; D015050:Zygoma / Q000473:pathology