Split Foot Research Articles

Two Problems: Diagnosing the EEC/EECUT Syndrome and Recommending Dietary Fiber-Reply

In Reply .—In my editorial commentary 1 I reaffirmed the value of the classic case report. The EEC syndrome served to illustrate this point. An astute case report 2 emphasized the involvement of the urinary tract in this disorder. This strengthened our powers of recognition and treatment, updating a genetic diagnosis. The first child in the family I saw had a split left hand and right foot, and there was a patrilineal history of cleft hand and foot. We supported the diagnosis of split hand and foot as most probable, with a recurrence risk of maximally 50%. A second child with malformations was born later into the family. The child had an indented upper lip, a cleft palate, and lateral displacement of the lacrimal puncta (telecanthus). The hands were normal. The feet were also within normal limits. I could insert my index finger between the first and second toes, which

Two Problems: Diagnosing the EEC/EECUT Syndrome and Recommending Dietary Fiber

Sir .—I have two comments regarding the December 1985 issue. It is not clear from the commentary by Hecht 1 whether the family that he had initially counseled relative to the EEC [ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting] syndrome had, in their second child, the problem of ectrodactyly. The commentary states that the second child had a cleft lip and palate, but it does not say (at least as I read it) whether the child had the split hand and foot. My understanding relative to the EEC syndrome is that ectrodactyly occurs essentially in 100% of patients and that the other manifestations are less common. It would seem to me that if the second child did not have ectrodactyly but only had the cleft lip and palate, then the family still had (1) a 50% chance for the EEC syndrome in any pregnancy, and (2) a polygenic chance (2% to 4% chance) for having

Control of pedal and parapodial movements in Aplysia. II. Cerebral ganglion neurons

1. Intracellular stimulation of individual neurons in the two symmetrical A neuron clusters of the cerebral ganglion evoked contractions of both the foot and parapodia. Electrical stimulation of pedal and parapodial nerves caused antidromic action potentials in A neurons. Units recorded in the nerves followed the driven somatic spike 1:1. This suggests that the A neurons are presumptive pedal and parapodial motor neurons.2. Individual A neurons evoked both bilteral and unilateral contractions of the parapodia or split foot. Contractions in the parapodia were independent of those in the foot. An individual A neuron caused contractions in either the foot or the parapodia, but not both. Sequential transection of parapodial nerves had only a slight effect until a key nerve was cut. The contractions produced by a single A neuron on one side were then abolished. These data suggest that the motor fields of the A neurons are well defined within the foot or the parapodia. 3. Parapodial contractions produced by individual A neurons are not dependent on the excitation of follower motor neurons. Blocking synaptic transmission by the addition of CoCl2 did not eliminate the contractions produced by driving individual A neurons. This is consistent with the A neurons being motor neurons. 4. Intracellular stimulation of individual neurons in the symmetrical B neuron clusters of the cerebral ganglion also evoked pedal and parapodial contractions. Electrical stimulation of the pedal and parapodial nerves elicited antidromic spikes in these neurons. Individual B neurons caused contractions in both the foot and parapodia. This suggests that the B neurons are motor neurons with very large motor fields. 5. Filling the pedal and parapodial nerves with cobalt primarily filled the cell bodies of neurons located in the pedal and pleural ganglia. The somata of A and B neurons were also occasionally filled. This is consistent with the electrophisiological results. 6. Other neurons also evoked parapodial contractions. Intracellular stimulation of neurons in the pedal and pleural ganglia caused parapodial contractions in intact animals. Some of these neurons were excited by stretching the parapodia or touching the tentacles. 7. The B neurons are strongly excited by tactile stimulation of the tentacles. Since they can cause pedal and parapodial contractions they may mediate reflex contractions elicited by tentacular stimulation. Stretching the parapodia only occasionally caused the A neurons to fire. This makes it unlikely that they make a major contribution to pedal and parapodial proprioceptive reflexes. These reflexes are probably controlled by neurons in the pedal and pleural ganglia.

A case of Down's syndrome with split feet

A case of Down's syndrome with split feet

Spontaneous congenital limb malformations in nonhuman primates: a review of the literature.

AbstractOccurrence of split hand and foot anomaly in two male Macacamulatta at the Regional Primate Research Center, University of Washington, prompted a survey of the literature pertinent to limb abnormalities among nonhuman primates. In some primate populations the incidence of limb abnormalities is significantly higher than in human populations. The etiology of the abnormalities is uncertain and genetic and nongenetic factors may be responsible. Differential mortality and fertility rates are inconclusive; population and pedigreestudies are needed to determine their etiology and possible significance for understanding primate evolution.

Split hand and foot anomaly in Macaca mulatta: a report of two cases.

AbstractTwo cases of split hand and foot anomaly in male Macaca mulatta are described. Radiographs and dissection of the muscular anatomy of the first case showed that the muscular changes could be directly related to the osseous deformities. Comparison of the anatomy of case 1 with that of two other nonhuman primate cases on record suggests that two different developmental patterns and possibly two different genotypes may underlie the anatomical differences observed. The second case of the anomaly has been sent to the University of Washington Medical Lake Breeding Facility where it is hoped future pedigree data may provide information on some of the embryological and genetic questions raised by the existing materials.

Heredofamilial cleft foot deformity: Lobster-claw foot or split foot

Heredofamilial cleft foot deformity: Lobster-claw foot or split foot