Dysspondyloenchondromatosis in the newborn. Report of four cases.

Dysspondyloenchondromatosis is a rare form of generalised enchondromatosis with hypoplastic/dysplastic changes in the lower thoracic and upper lumbar spine. The disease presents at birth as neonatal dwarfism and is characterised later in life by marked shortening of stature, unequal length of the extremities and early development of kyphoscoliosis. We report four newborn babies--three boys and a girl--with dysspondyloenchondromatosis, who had skeletal survey performed shortly after birth. The condition can be established in the newborn, as the radiographic examination (skeletal survey) shows diagnostic radiographic findings.