phocomelia (redirected from Phocomelia syndrome)

phocomelia /pho·co·me·lia/ (fo″kah-me´le-ah) congenital absence of the proximal portion of a limb or limbs, the hands or feet being attached to the trunk by a small, irregularly shaped bone.phocome´lic

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pho·co·me·li·a (fk-ml-, -mly)

n.

A birth defect in which the upper portion of a limb is absent or poorly developed, so that the hand or foot attaches to the body by a short, flipperlike stump.

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phoco·melic (-mlk) adj.

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phocomelia

[fō′kəmē′lyə]

Etymology: Gk, phoke, seal, melos, limb

a developmental anomaly characterized by absence of the upper part of one or more of the limbs so that the feet or hands or both are attached to the trunk of the body by short, irregularly shaped stumps, resembling the fins of a seal. The condition, caused by interference with the embryonic development of the long bones, is rare and is seen primarily as a side effect of the drug thalidomide taken during early pregnancy. Also called seal limbs. Compare amelia. phocomelic, adj.

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phocomelia

congenital absence of the proximal portion of a limb or limbs, the distal parts being attached to the trunk by a small, irregularly shaped bone.

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phocomelia

Teratology A congenital malformation characterized by attachment of a hand to the shoulder or foot to the pelvis, imparting a seal flipper appearance, classically associated with exposure of a developing fetus to thalidomide. Cf Thalidomide.