Dysmelia

Dysmelia (from Greek Δύσ - = "bad" plus μέλος (plural μέλεα) = "limb") is a congenital disorder referring to the limbs. ^[1]

[edit] Types

Dysmelia can refer to

Birth defects involving limbs occur in 1 per 1000.^{[citation needed]}

Dysmelia can be caused by

inheritance of abnormal genes, e.g. polydactyly, ectrodactyly or brachydactyly, symptoms of deformed limbs then often occur in combination with other symptoms (syndromes)
external causes during pregnancy (thus not inherited), e.g. via amniotic band syndrome
teratogenic drugs (e.g. thalidomide, which causes phocomelia) or environmental chemicals
ionizing radiation (nuclear weapons, radioiodine, radiation therapy)
infections
metabolic imbalance

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