All about fibrous dysplasia  causes of fibrous dysplasia symptoms of fibrous dysplasia diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia treatment for fibrous dysplasia |
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What's the treatment for fibrous dysplasia?
There is no cure for fibrous dysplasia, only treatment of the symptoms. Bone fractures or deformities will be treated as needed. The patient will be screened for the development of endocrine disorders as needed. It is technically difficult to totally eradicate the disease. The goal of intervention is usually to maintain bone strength and integrity, not to cure the bony lesions. Therefore treatment is aimed at correcting the associated deformities. Those lesions that are causing symptoms
may be treated in any of the following ways:
Surgery is recommended for fibrous dysplasia to relieve intractable bone pain, to improve mobility that may be impaired due to skeletal deformity, to facilitate the healing of fractures, to relieve local pressure on the spinal cord, spinal nerves, or brain, and to treat the unusual complication of bone sarcoma. Curettage/bone grafting is an operation that involves a surgical removal of the bony lesion by surgically scraping it out with a special instrument called a curette that has a scoop, loop or ring at its tip. The remaining cavity is then packed with donor bone tissue (allograft), bone chips taken from another bone (autograft), or other materials depending on the preference of the surgeon. Wide excision is the surgical removal of the bony lesion and along with wide margins of surrounding healthy bone. Internal fixation is a surgical procedure in which the bone is reconstructed with the use of metal plates and screws or rods. Often cortical bone grafts are combined with internal fixation to strengthen the bone in the lower extremities. At times, especially around the hip, the bone is bent and deformed by fibrous dysplasia. If the deformity is sever, the bone may have to be surgically cut a redirected to restore the proper shape of the bone.
There are early studies that suggest that drugs that alter bone resorption (bisphosphonate) may help the pain of fibrous dysplasia and may strengthen the bone. At this time, this thereapy is not of proven value, but holds promise for the future. Pamidronate (Aredia®) is a bisphosphonate drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for several disorders including hypercalcemia, Paget's disease of bone, breast cancer metastatic to bone and multiple myeloma. Studies have shown that some individuals with fibrous dysplasia may have considerable benefit from this therapy, though it is not specifically approved for the treatment of fibrous dysplasia. Multiple intravenous infusions of pamidronate have been reported to relieve bone pain and lessen the extent of the disease in some patients with fibrous dysplasia.
Exercise is very important in maintaining skeletal health and is recommended for patients with fibrous dysplasia. Exercise is also helpful in avoiding weight gain and in maintaining mobility of the joints. The exercise program should be carefully designed under physician supervision to minimize risk of fracture. |
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More information on fibrous dysplasia
What is fibrous dysplasia? - Fibrous dysplasia is a skeletal developmental anomaly of the bone-forming mesenchyme that manifests as a defect in osteoblastic differentiation and maturation.
What causes fibrous dysplasia? - The exact cause of fibrous dysplasia is not known, but it is believed to be due to a chemical abnormality in the protein of the bone.
What're the symptoms of fibrous dysplasia? - Symptoms of fibrous dysplasia are uneven growth, pain, brittleness.. Some experience many symptoms associated with endocrine abnormalities.
How is fibrous dysplasia diagnosed? - The bones affected by fibrous dysplasia usually have a characteristic appearance on X-ray. Computed tomography scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure.
What's the treatment for fibrous dysplasia? - There is no cure for fibrous dysplasia, only treatment of the symptoms. Treatment is aimed at correcting the associated deformities. |
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