Apert syndrome is characterized by the presence of multisuture craniosynostosis, midface retrusion, and syndactyly of the hands with fusion of the second through fourth nails. Almost all affected individuals have coronal craniosynostosis, and a majority also have involvement of the sagittal and lambdoid sutures. The midface in Apert syndrome is underdeveloped as well as retruded; a subset of affected individuals have cleft palate. The hand in Apert syndrome always includes fusion of the middle three digits; the thumb and fifth finger are sometimes also involved. Feeding issues, dental abnormalities, hearing loss, hyperhidrosis, and progressive synostosis of multiple bones (skull, hands, feet, carpus, tarsus, and cervical vertebrae) are also common. Multilevel airway obstruction may be present and can be due to narrowing of the nasal passages, tongue-based airway obstruction, and/or tracheal anomalies. Nonprogressive ventriculomegaly is present in a majority of individuals, with a small subset having true hydrocephalus. Most individuals with Apert syndrome have normal intelligence or mild intellectual disability; moderate-to-severe intellectual disability has been reported in some individuals. A minority of affected individuals have structural cardiac abnormalities, true gastrointestinal malformations, and anomalies of the genitourinary tract.

Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen disease (DMC) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia and impaired intellectual development. Short-trunk dwarfism and microcephaly are present, and specific radiologic appearances most likely reflect abnormalities of the growth plates, including platyspondyly with notched end plates, metaphyseal irregularities, laterally displaced capital femoral epiphyses, and small iliac wings with lacy iliac crests (summary by El Ghouzzi et al., 2003).

Langer mesomelic dysplasia (LMD) is characterized by severe limb aplasia or severe hypoplasia of the ulna and fibula, and a thickened and curved radius and tibia. These changes can result in displacement deformities of the hands and feet. Hypoplasia of the mandible is also observed (Langer, 1967). See also Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (127300), a less severe phenotype that results from heterozygous defect in the SHOX or SHOXY genes.

Spondyloperipheral dysplasia is a disorder that impairs bone growth. The signs and symptoms of this condition can vary among affected individuals. People with spondyloperipheral dysplasia typically have short stature, with a short torso, short arms and legs, and short fingers and toes (brachydactyly). These parts of the body are not proportional to one another (disproportionate short stature) in people with this condition. Affected individuals also tend to have flattened bones of the spine (platyspondyly) and inward- and upward-turning feet (clubfoot). Some people with spondyloperipheral dysplasia may also experience nearsightedness (myopia) or hearing loss.  

Omodysplasia-2 (OMOD2) is a rare autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia characterized by shortened humeri, dislocated radial heads, shortened first metacarpals, craniofacial dysmorphism, and variable genitourinary anomalies (Saal et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of OMOD, see 258315.