[Osteopetrosis (Albers-Schoenberg disease). III. Current nosographic aspects and relations to other condensing osteopathies].

A malignant paediatric variety and an adult variety of Albers-Schönberg disease are normally distinguished. On the basis of recent findings and personal observation it would appear advisable to accept two different courses of Albers-Schönberg disease in adults: one resembling the malignant infant form and the other with slow, practically asymptomatic (apart, obviously, from the skeletal lesions) course allowing for prolonged survival. This classification is of considerable practical importance for prognosis and therapeutic purposes. Other hereditary-familial and constitutional condensing osteopathy pictures exist that present radiological stigmata similar to those seen in Albers-Schönberg disease. The interest of the relations between A-S disease and certain of these condensing osteopathic conditions is obvious.