Important Facts For Prelims
Fairbanks Disease and Acromegaly Disorder
- 09 Feb 2022
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has informed the Rajya Sabha that Fairbanks Disease and Acromegaly Disorder’s patients are getting treatment at various tertiary health facilities like Medical Colleges, Central Institutes like AIIMS at free or subsidized rates besides in tertiary care private hospitals.
What is Fairbank Disease?
- Fairbanks disease or multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) is a rare genetic disorder (dominant form--1 in 10,000 births) which affects the growing ends of bones.
- Bones usually elongate by a process that involves the depositing of cartilage at the ends of the bones, called ossification.
- This cartilage then mineralizes and hardens to become bone. In MED, this process is defective.
- The Fairbank's disease (Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia) patient usually requires management of pain and orthopedic procedures, for which facilities are available at tertiary care institutions in India.
What is Acromegaly Disorder?
- Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that leads to the abnormal growth of hands, feet and face.
- This disorder is mainly caused due to the excessive production of the Growth Hormone (GH) produced by the Pituitary gland.
- The pituitary gland, a small gland situated at the base of your brain and called the Master Gland, as it synthesis some of the important hormones in the body.
- Due to the excessive growth of this gland, the surrounding nerve tissues and optic nerves get compressed. This results in the growth of the bone and the enlargement of organs.
- Symptoms: Sleeplessness, Excess fatigue, A hoarse voice, Profuse sweating, Frequent headaches, Abnormal weight gain, Develop odour in the body, Enlargement of jaws or tongue etc.
