Fibrous dysplasia

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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

You develop fibrous dysplasia before birth, and its development has been linked with a gene mutation that affects the cells that produce bone. No one knows what causes the mutation, but it isn't inherited from your parents, and you can't pass it on to your children.

Bones are living tissue, so even after you stop growing, your bones are in a continuous process of renewal known as remodeling. In the process, certain bone cells (osteoclasts) tear down (resorb) bone, while other cells (osteoblasts) rebuild bone. Fibrous dysplasia disrupts the process, causing old bone to break down faster and replacing normal bone tissue with softer, fibrous tissue.

Complications Symptoms
References
  1. Fibrous dysplasia. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00083. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  2. Tis JE. Overview of benign bone tumors in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  3. Whyte MP. Osteonecrosis, osteosclerosis/hyperostosis, and other disorders of bone. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  4. Rosenberg AE. Bones, joints and soft-tissue tumors. In: Kumar V, et al. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0792-2..50031-6--cesec46&isbn=978-1-4377-0792-2&sid=1166563817&uniqId=255806599-7#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0792-2..50031-6--cesec64. Accessed June 3, 2011.
  5. Chapurlat RD, et al. Treatment of fibrous dysplasia of bone with intravenous pamidronate: long-term effectiveness and evaluation of predictors of response to treatment. Bone. 2004;35:235.
  6. Joglekar SB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 18, 2011.
  7. Sim FH (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 18, 2011.
DS00991 July 7, 2011

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