Definition

Noun: A fibrous dysplasia of bone is a specific, non-inherited skeletal disorder. It is characterized by a disturbance in normal bone development and maintenance. In this condition, healthy bone that is undergoing natural breakdown (lysis) is replaced not with normal bone tissue, but with an abnormal, disorganized proliferation of fibrous (scar-like) connective tissue. This results in the formation of weakened, expansile bone lesions. These lesions can vary in size and location and may cause pain, deformity, or fracture.

Usage Examples

• The patient's limping and leg pain were eventually diagnosed as being caused by fibrous dysplasia of bone.
• Fibrous dysplasia of bone is often discovered incidentally on an X-ray taken for an unrelated reason.
• Treatment for fibrous dysplasia of bone focuses on managing pain and preventing or correcting deformities and fractures.

Advanced Usage

• Monostotic vs. Polyostotic: The condition is categorized based on the number of bones affected. involves a single bone, while affects multiple bones and is often associated with other conditions like McCune-Albright syndrome.
• The abnormal fibrous dysplasia of bone tissue does not mature into normal lamellar bone, which is why the affected areas remain mechanically weak.

Variants and Related Words

• Fibrous Dysplasia: A more common, shortened form of the term.
• McCune-Albright Syndrome: A related endocrine disorder that includes polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, café-au-lait skin spots, and precocious puberty.
• Monostotic Fibrous Dysplasia: The form affecting a single bone site.
• Polyostotic Fibrous Dysplasia: The form affecting multiple bones.

Synonyms

• Bone fibrous dysplasia
• Osteitis fibrosa (a broader, older, and less specific term that can refer to other conditions)

Related Medical Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Lysis: The process of breakdown or dissolution, referring here to the normal resorption of bone.
• Proliferation: Rapid and often uncontrolled growth of cells.
• Lesion: A region in an organ or tissue that has suffered damage through injury or disease, such as an area of abnormal bone in this condition.

Noun

1. a disturbance in which bone that is undergoing lysis is replaced by an abnormal proliferation of fibrous tissue resulting in bone lesions or skin lesions