Radial aplasia is a

congenital defect A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can range from mild to severe. Birth de ...

which affects the formation of the radius bone in the arm. The radius is the

lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may also refer to: Biology and healthcare * Lateral (anatomy), a term of location meaning "towards the side" * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, an intrinsic muscle of the larynx * Lateral release ( ...

bone (thumb side) which connects the

humerus The humerus (; : humeri) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius (bone), radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extrem ...

of the upper arm to the wrist via articulation with the

carpal bones The carpal bones are the eight small bones that make up the wrist (carpus) that connects the hand to the forearm. The terms "carpus" and "carpal" are derived from the Latin wikt:carpus#Latin, carpus and the Greek language, Greek wikt:καρπός ...

. A child born with this condition has either a short or absent radius bone in one or both of his or her arms. Radial aplasia also results in the thumb being either partly formed or completely absent from the hand, which can result in difficulties performing

activities of daily living Activities of daily living (ADLs) is a term used in healthcare to refer to an individual's daily self-care activities. Health professionals often use a person's ability or inability to perform ADLs as a measure of their Performance status, functi ...

. Radial aplasia is connected with the condition

VACTERL association The VACTERL association (also VATER association, and less accurately VACTERL syndrome) refers to a recognized group of birth defects which tend to co-occur (see below). This pattern is a recognized association, as opposed to a syndrome, because th ...

, under the 'L' for limb malformations. Radial aplasia is not inherited. The cause for radial aplasia is unknown, but is widely believed to occur within the first ten weeks of gestation. The incidence is reported to be between 1 in 30,000 and 1 in 100,000 live births, bilateral in half, slightly more common in boys than girls. Most cases are sporadic, with only about 20% familial.

References

External links

Skeletal disorders {{musculoskeletal-disease-stub