Achondroplasia: pre- and postsurgical considerations for midface advancement.

Achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism, involves several physical characteristics that can cause pre- and intraoperative respiratory problems. The characteristics include rib-cage deformities, midface hypoplasia, choanal stenosis, muscular hypotonia, foramen magnum compression, and cervical abnormalities. Specific pre- and postoperative strategies for dealing with achondroplastic dwarfs are discussed.