Webbing Health Dictionary

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Webbing: From 1 Different Sources

A flap of skin, such as might occur between adjacent fingers or toes. Webbing is a common congenital abnormality that often runs in families and which may affect 2 or more digits. Mild webbing is completely harmless, but surgical correction may be performed for cosmetic reasons. In severe cases, adjacent digits may be completely fused (see syndactyly). Webbing of the neck is a feature of Turner’s syndrome.
Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association

Turner’s Syndrome

A disorder caused by a chromosomal abnormality that only affects females. The abnormality may arise in 1 of 3 ways: affected females may have only 1 X chromosome instead of 2; they may have 1 normal and 1 defective X chromosome; or they may have a mixture of cells (see mosaicism), in which some of the cells are missing an X chromosome, some have extra chromosomes, and others have the normal complement of chromosomes. Turner’s syndrome causes short stature; webbing of the skin of the neck; absence or retarded development of sexual characteristics; amenorrhea, coarctation of the aorta, and abnormalities of the eyes and bones.

Treatment with growth hormone from infancy helps girls with Turner’s syndrome to achieve near normal height. Coarctation of the aorta is treated surgically. Treatment with oestrogen drugs induces menstruation, but it does not make affected girls fertile.... turner’s syndrome

Turner’s Syndrome

This occurs in one in 2,500 live female births. It is caused by either the absence of or an abnormality in one of the two X CHROMOSOMES. Classical Turner’s syndrome is a complete deletion of one X so that the karyotype is 45XO. Half of the people with Turner’s syndrome have MOSAICISM with a mixture of Turner cells and normal cells, or other abnormalities of the X chromosome such as partial deletions or a ring X. They are females, both in appearance and sexually; clinical features are variable and include short stature, with ?nal height between 1·295 m and 1·575 m, and ovarian failure. Other clinical features may include a short neck, webbing of the neck, increased carrying angle at the elbow (cubitus valgus), widely spaced nipples, cardiovascular abnormalities (of which the commonest is coarctation of the aorta [about 10 per cent]), morphological abnormalities of the kidneys (including horseshoe kidney and abnormalities of the pelviureteric tracts), recurrent otitis media (see under EAR, DISEASES OF), squints, increased incidence of pigmented naevi (see NAEVUS), hypothyroidism (see under THYROID, DISEASES OF) and DIABETES MELLITUS. Intelligence is across the normal range, although there are speci?c learning defects which are related to hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.

Patients with Turner’s syndrome may require therapeutic help throughout their life. In early childhood this may revolve around surgical correction of cardiovascular disease and treatment to improve growth. Usually, PUBERTY will need to be induced with oestrogen therapy (see OESTROGENS). In adult life, problems of oestrogen therapy, prevention of osteoporosis (see under BONE, DISORDERS OF), assessment and treatment of HYPERTENSION and assisted fertility predominate. For the address of the UK Turner Syndrome Society, see Appendix 2.... turner’s syndrome

Toe

One of the digits of the foot. Each toe has 3 phalanges (bones), except for the hallux (big toe), which has 2. The phalanges join at hinge joints. An artery, vein, and nerve run down each side of the toe, and the whole structure is enclosed in skin with a nail at the top. The main function of the toes is to maintain balance during walking. Congenital disorders include toes missing at birth. (See also polydactyly; syndactyly; and webbing.)... toe

Syndactyly

n. congenital webbing of the fingers. Adjacent fingers are joined along part or all of their length. They may be joined only by skin, or the bones of the fingers may be joined. Treatment is surgical separation of the fingers, and skin grafts may be required.... syndactyly

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