Phocomelia is an extremely rare congenital skeletal disorder that characteristically affects the limbs. It can affect either the upper limbs or lower limbs or both. Phocomelia is also a descriptive term to describe the characteristic limb anomalies occurring with its associated conditions.
Classically with upper limb involvement, the hands are present, but with variable deficiency and or foreshortening of the arm and/or forearm. The hands may be of normal or abnormal morphology.
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History and etymology
Derived from the Greek phoco meaning "seal"and melia meaning "limb".
3. Schumacher R, Seaver LH, Spranger J. Fetal Radiology, A Diagnostic Atlas. Springer Verlag. (2011) ISBN:3642035590. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
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