Brachymetatarsia

Brachymetatarsia (a.k.a. congenital short metatarsus) is a rare condition that develops from early closure of the growth plate. 

Epidemiology

Females are almost exclusively affected ¹. 

Pathology

Location

Brachymetatarsia typically affects the fourth metatarsal or, less frequently, more than one metatarsal.

Associations

Brachymetatarsia can be related to several genetic conditions and syndromes:

• aneuploidic anomalies

  • trisomy 21

  • monosomy X / Turner syndrome

• non-aneuoploidic anomalies

  • pseudohypoparathyroidism

  • pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism

  • Albright hereditary osteodystrophy

  • diastrophic dysplasia

Treatment and prognosis

There are several types of lengthening procedures which can be performed. 

For metatarsals that only need to be lengthened up to 15 mm, single-stage lengthening procedures with a variety of biologic and synthetic implants are preferred, whereas gradual lengthening allows for greater length gain and concomitant lengthening of the soft tissues.