ESPE Abstracts

Background: Achondroplasia is the commonest type of skeletal dysplasia with an incidence of 1 in 20,000 and is due to recurrent and dominantly transmitted, activating mutations in Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3). Complications during infancy include foramen magnum stenosis and hydrocephalus which may lead to neurological morbidity and sudden unexplained mortality. Early detection and appropriate neurosurgical management can prevent these complications. How...

Background: Foramen magnum stenosis (FMS) is a common, serious complication of achondroplasia in infancy. The Achondroplasia Foramen Magnum Score (AFMS; 1-4) was developed to facilitate early detection of stenosis and inform appropriate neurosurgical management. All infants have a baseline screening MRI, of which approximately half of cases demonstrate AFMS3 (craniovertebral junction (CVJ) narrowing with flattening of the cervical cord) or AFMS4 (CVJ narrowing...