ABSTRACT
The whistling face syndrome has been reported, with complications of the respiratory system and feeding problems due to microstomia, since 1938. Dysphagia, however, has not previously been reported as a complication of whistling face syndrome. We report a 13-year-old with the whistling face syndrome and dysphagia of late onset who has the typical whistling face, scoliosis and multiple joint contractures. Dysphagia occurred as a result of compression at the cervicomedullary junction by a cranio-vertebral junction malformation and impingement by the tip of the odontoid process. This child had undergone multiple surgical procedures for cleft palate, clubfeet, contractures of the hip and knee and scoliosis. Halo traction and posterior occipital-cervical decompression and fusion successfully treated the dysphagia.
Subject(s)
Cervical Vertebrae/abnormalities , Deglutition Disorders/etiology , Joints/abnormalities , Weight Loss , Adolescent , Cervical Vertebrae/surgery , Female , Humans , Joints/physiopathology , Limb Deformities, Congenital , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Microstomia/complications , Scoliosis/complications , Scoliosis/surgery , SyndromeABSTRACT
The records of 29 patients who underwent epiphyseodesis of 56 physes in which a percutaneous (minimal incision) technique was used were reviewed. Length of surgery averaged 36 min per physis. Growth arrest was achieved in every instance. There were no cases of unplanned angular growth, no deep infections, and no difficulties in regaining full joint motion were reported. Epiphyseodesis of the proximal tibial physis was performed on 16 patients without epiphyseodesis of the proximal fibula, yet symptoms attributable to fibular overgrowth were not reported. Some technical variations that have evolved in our procedure are described.
