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What portion of Marfan syndrome patients develop myopia?
Myopia (nearsightedness). Most patients with Marfan develop nearsightedness, usually in childhood.
How common is glaucoma among Marfan syndrome patients?
This condition is much more prevalent in patients with Marfan syndrome than in the general population.
Why are Marfan syndrome patients vulnerable to retinal detachment?
Retinal detachment. Patients with Marfan are more vulnerable to this disorder because of the weakness of their connective tissues.
What percentage of Marfan syndrome sufferers eventually develop cardiac complications?
About 90% of Marfan patients will develop cardiac complications.
How many Marfan syndrome sufferers develop ectopia lentis?
Between 50 and 80% of Marfan patients have dislocated lenses.
What happens to the dura membrane in Marfan syndrome patients?
The weak dura in Marfan patients swells or bulges under the pressure of the spinal fluid. This swelling is called ectasia.
What is one reason Marfan syndrome patients should avoid sports activities?
The danger of retinal detachment is an important reason for patients to avoid contact sports or other activities that could cause a blow on the head or being knocked to the ground.
Why should Marfan syndrome sufferers never smoke?
Smoking is particularly harmful for Marfan patients because it increases their risk of emphysema.
How can the chest of Marfan syndrome be deformed?
A few patients with Marfan may have a pectus excavatum on one side of their chest and a pectus carinatum on the other.
What eye examinations should be given to patients with Marfan syndrome?
Patients with Marfan should have a thorough eye examination, including a slit-lamp examination, to test for dislocation of the lens as well as nearsightedness.
What care should be given to Marfan syndrome patients with cataracts?
Cataracts are treated with increasing success by implant surgery. It is important, however, to seek treatment at medical centers with eye surgeons familiar with the possible complications of cataract surgery in patients with Marfan syndrome.
Does marfan syndrome affect the aorta?
Yes. Marfan syndrome is a congenital disorder affecting the formation of fibrillin. In Marfan syndrome, the abnormal fibrillin is responsible for many of the findings of the disease. Hyperextensibility/hyperelasticity of joints is one of the hallmark signs. Pectus excavatum is another. People with Marfan syndrome are typically very tall and thin, with very long fingers and toes (arachnodactyly). The fibrillin defect also affects the blood vessels, especially the large arteries, such as the aorta. Disordered fibrillin production causes these arteries to be weaker than normal, predisposing patients with Marfan syndrome to aortic dissections and rupture. This the major cause of death for patients with Marfan syndrome.
