"Skeletal Diseases"

Definition
Fanconi syndrome is a disorder of the kidney tubes in which certain substances normally absorbed into the bloodstream by the kidneys are released into the urine instead.
Symptoms
Fanconi syndrome is characterised by the following symptoms:

• Passing large amounts of urine, which can lead to dehydration
• Bone pain
• Weakness

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Definition
Skeletal limb abnormalities is a very broad descriptive term. There are a variety of possible abnormalities of the arms or legs (limbs) that can be caused by underlying defects in the skeletal structure.
Considerations
Skeletal limb abnormalities may result from:

• Metabolic diseases
• Malnutrition (inadequate amounts of a vitamins, proteins, calcium, or other nutrients)
• Genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities
• Problems experienced by a fetus before birth — exposure to drugs and medications, infections, positioning, or injury
• Birth trauma
• Cancers

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Definition
An adamantinoma is a slow growing cancerous bone tumor that is most often found in the shin bone (tibia) or the jaw bone (mandible). Sometimes, these tumors might be found in the forearm, hands or feet. It is a rare tumor, occurring primarily in males between the ages of 10-30, usually after skeletal maturity is reached.
In about 20 percent of cases, adamantinoma cancer cells spread to other parts of the body (metastasize), usually to the lungs or nearby lymph nodes.
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Bone: Your body has 206 bones, that serve multiple different functions:

1. - they provide structure to the body and help provide its shape. Muscles attach to the bones and allow you to move. Without the bones you would be unable to stand, walk, or move.
2. - the bones help to protect the more fragile organs of the body.
   e.g.:       the bones of the skull protect the brain
   the vertebrae of the spine protect the spinal cord
   the ribs protect the heart and lungs
3. - the bones contain bone marrow, which makes and stores new blood cells.
4. - the bones help control your body’s collection of various proteins and nutrients including calcium and phosphorus

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Definition
Osteomalacia is softening of the bones, caused by not having enough vitamin D, or by problems with the metabolism (breakdown and use) of this vitamin. These softer bones have a normal amount of collagen that gives the bones its structure, but they are lacking in calcium.

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Definition
The number of patients who have bone and mineral disorders has increased in last period of time. This increase is a consequence of multiple factors including: the longer life span of our population, the increasing use of drugs detrimental to bone and kidney, and the availability of new technologies such as bone densitometry, which have made earlier diagnosis possible.

Mineral metabolism disorders are marked by abnormal levels of minerals — either too much or too little — in the blood.

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Rickets is the softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D is essential in promoting absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the gastrointestinal tract, which children need to build strong bones. A deficiency of vitamin D makes it difficult to maintain proper calcium and phosphorus levels in your bones. Read the rest of this entry »

A hereditary bone disorder
Osteopetrosis is a congenital disorder (a person is born with it) in which the bones are dense, brittle and break easily.
Who is affected
Deppending of the form of osteopetrosia, both children and adults can be affected. It is difficult to estimate how often the different forms of osteopetrosis occur worldwide. Read the rest of this entry »

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Cartilage is a protein substance that serves as a “cushion” between the bones of the joints. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis.

Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. Most cases of osteoarthritis have no known cause and are referred to as primary osteoarthritis.
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What is fibrous dysplasia?

Fibrous dysplasia is a chronic disorder in which bone expands due to abnormal development of fibrous tissue, often resulting in one, or more, of the following:

• uneven growth of bones
• pain
• brittle bones
• bone deformity

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