Arachnodactyly Overview
Learn About Arachnodactyly
Arachnodactyly is a condition in which the fingers are long, slender, and curved. They look like the legs of a spider (arachnid).
Dolichostenomelia; Spider fingers; Achromachia
Long, slender fingers can be normal and not associated with any medical problems. In some cases, however, "spider fingers" can be a sign of an underlying disorder.
Causes may include:
- Homocystinuria
- Marfan syndrome
- Other rare genetic disorders
Some children are born with arachnodactyly. It may become more evident over time. Talk to your health care provider if your child has long, slender fingers and you are concerned that an underlying condition may exist.
The provider will perform a physical exam. You will be asked questions about the medical history. This includes:
- When did you first notice the fingers being shaped like this?
- Is there any family history of early death? Is there any family history of known hereditary disorders?
- What other symptoms are present? Have you noticed any other unusual things?
Diagnostic tests are most often not necessary unless a hereditary disorder is suspected.
Fowzan Alkuraya is a Medical Genetics specialist and a Pediatrics provider in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Alkuraya and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Arachnodactyly. His top areas of expertise are Achalasia Microcephaly Syndrome, Microcephaly, Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy, Cortical Dysplasia, and Vitrectomy.
Pratt Medical Group Inc
Kimberly Schelling is an Internal Medicine provider in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Schelling and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Arachnodactyly. Her top areas of expertise are Foot Drop, Necrosis, Cirrhosis, Vertigo, and Hip Replacement. Dr. Schelling is currently accepting new patients.
Brigham And Womens Physicians Organization Inc
Leonard Lilly is a Cardiologist in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Lilly and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Arachnodactyly. His top areas of expertise are Sitosterolemia, Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), Aortic Valve Stenosis, Atrial Fibrillation, and Cardiac Ablation. Dr. Lilly is currently accepting new patients.
Summary: There are no prospective studies of pregnancies for the diseases studied here in (Heredity Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Marfan syndrome or related, primary lower limb lymphedema, superficial arteriovenous malformations, and cerebro-spinal arteriovenous malformations) although complications of these can present life-threatening health problems for the mother and her baby. The purpose of this Nationa...
Summary: The main purpose of this study is to define the complex genetic and pathogenic basis of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and other forms of aortopathy and/or aortic valve disease by identifying novel disease-causing genes and by identifying important genetic modifiers for aortic and aortic valve disease severity.
Published Date: December 31, 2023
Published By: Mary J. Terrell, MD, IBCLC, Neonatologist, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Doyle Al, Doyle JJ, Dietz HC. Marfan syndrome. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 722.
Grahame R, Hakim AJ. Arachnodactyly--a key to diagnosing heritable disorders of connective tissue. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2013;9(6):358-364. PMID: 23478494 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23478494/.
Herring JA. Orthopaedic-related syndromes. In: Herring JA, ed. Tachdjian's Pediatric Orthopaedics. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 37.