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Definition

noun

A congenital disorder characterized by a triad of disorders, namely craniosynostosis, syndactyly and maxillary underdevelopment. Physically, the individual with Alpert syndrome has high prominent forehead, a flat posterior skull, abnormal facial appearance, and webbing of fingers and toes.

Supplement

The Alpert syndrome is a form of acrocephalosyndactyly. It may be an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that the offspring of a parent with Alpert syndrome has a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.

The premature closing of the cranial suture lines causes the high prominence of the forehead and facial malformations. Physical deformities can be corrected by surgery.

Word origin: named after Eugène Apert, a French physician, who documented several cases of individuals who had congenital malformations of the skull.

Also called: Alpert's syndrome or Apert syndrome

See also: acrocephalosyndactyly