Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia Torrance type

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Alternate names[edit | edit source]

PLSDT; Lethal short-limbed platyspondylic dwarfism Torrance type; Thanatophoric dysplasia torrance variant

Definition[edit | edit source]

Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type is a severe disorder of bone growth. People with this condition have very short arms and legs, underdeveloped pelvic bones, and unusually short fingers and toes (brachydactyly).

Epidemiology[edit | edit source]

This condition is very rare; only a few affected individuals have been reported worldwide.

Cause[edit | edit source]

  • Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type is one of a spectrum of skeletal disorders caused by mutations in the COL2A1 gene.
  • This gene provides instructions for making a protein that forms type II collagen.
  • This type of collagen is found mostly in the clear gel that fills the eyeball (the vitreous) and in cartilage.
  • Cartilage is a tough, flexible tissue that makes up much of the skeleton during early development.
  • Most cartilage is later converted to bone, except for the cartilage that continues to cover and protect the ends of bones and is present in the nose and external ears.
  • Type II collagen is essential for the normal development of bones and other connective tissues that form the body's supportive framework.

Gene mutations[edit | edit source]

  • All of the COL2A1 mutations that have been found to cause platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type occur in a region of the protein called the C-propeptide domain.
  • These mutations interfere with the assembly of type II collagen molecules, reducing the amount of this type of collagen in the body.
  • Instead of forming collagen molecules, the abnormal COL2A1 protein builds up in cartilage cells (chondrocytes).
  • These changes disrupt the normal development of bones and other connective tissues, leading to the skeletal abnormalities characteristic of platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type.

Inheritance[edit | edit source]

Autosomal dominant pattern, a 50/50 chance.

This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.

Signs and symptoms[edit | edit source]

  • This disorder is also characterized by flattened spinal bones (platyspondyly) and an exaggerated curvature of the lower back (lordosis).
  • Infants with this condition are born with a small chest with short ribs that can restrict the growth and expansion of the lungs.
  • As a result of these serious health problems, some affected fetuses do not survive to term.
  • Infants born with platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type usually die at birth or shortly thereafter from respiratory failure.
  • A few affected people with milder signs and symptoms have lived into adulthood.

Clinical presentation[edit | edit source]

For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed.

80%-99% of people have these symptoms

  • Abdominal distention(Abdominal bloating)
  • Abnormality of the carpal bones
  • Disproportionate short-limb short stature(Short limb dwarfism, disproportionate)
  • Hypoplasia of the capital femoral epiphysis(Small innermost thighbone end part)
  • Hypoplastic pelvis
  • Metaphyseal cupping
  • Micromelia(Smaller or shorter than typical limbs)
  • Narrow chest(Low chest circumference)
  • Platyspondyly(Flattened vertebrae)
  • Short distal phalanx of finger(Short outermost finger bone)
  • Short foot(Short feet)
  • Short palm
  • Short thorax(Shorter than typical length between neck and abdomen)
  • Skeletal dysplasia

30%-79% of people have these symptoms

  • Depressed nasal bridge(Depressed bridge of nose)
  • Genu varum(Outward bow-leggedness)
  • Hydrops fetalis
  • Hypoplastic scapulae(Small shoulder blade)
  • Low-set ears(Low set ears)
  • Malar flattening(Zygomatic flattening)
  • Polyhydramnios(High levels of amniotic fluid)
  • Prominent forehead(Pronounced forehead)
  • Pulmonary hypoplasia(Small lung)

5%-29% of people have these symptoms

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

Treatment[edit | edit source]

NIH genetic and rare disease info[edit source]

Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia Torrance type is a rare disease.


Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia Torrance type Resources
Doctor showing form.jpg
Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.


Contributors: Deepika vegiraju