Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia
Last updated 16 Dec 2025
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Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED) is a condition characterised by skeletal abnormalities, distinctive facial features, and severe hearing loss. The term "otospondylomegaepiphyseal" refers to the parts of the body that this condition affects: the ears (oto-), the bones of the spine (spondylo-), and the ends (epiphyses) of long bones in the arms and legs. The features of this condition significantly overlap those of two similar conditions, Weissenbacher-Zweymüller syndrome and Stickler syndrome type III. All of these conditions are caused by mutations in the same gene, and in some cases, it can be difficult to tell the conditions apart. Some researchers believe they represent a single disorder with a range of signs and symptoms.
Description
Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED) is a condition characterised by skeletal abnormalities, distinctive facial features, and severe hearing loss. The term "otospondylomegaepiphyseal" refers to the parts of the body that this condition affects: the ears (oto-), the bones of the spine (spondylo-), and the ends (epiphyses) of long bones in the arms and legs. The features of this condition significantly overlap those of two similar conditions, Weissenbacher-Zweymüller syndrome and Stickler syndrome type III. All of these conditions are caused by mutations in the same gene, and in some cases, it can be difficult to tell the conditions apart. Some researchers believe they represent a single disorder with a range of signs and symptoms.
People with OSMED are often shorter than average because the long bones in their legs are unusually short. Other skeletal features include enlarged joints; short arms, hands, and fingers; and flattened bones of the spine (platyspondyly). People with the disorder often experience back and joint pain, limited joint movement, and arthritis that begins early in life.
Severe high-frequency hearing loss is common in people with OSMED. Typical facial features include protruding eyes; a flattened bridge of the nose; an upturned nose with a large, rounded tip; and a small lower jaw. Almost all affected infants are born with an opening in the roof of the mouth (a cleft palate).
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal recessive. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
Chondrodystrophy with sensorineural deafness
Insley-Astley syndrome
Mega-epiphyseal dwarfism
Nance-Insley syndrome
Nance-Sweeney chondrodysplasia
OSMED
Oto-spondylo-megaepiphyseal dysplasia
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Further reading and references
- Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Harel T, Rabinowitz R, Hendler N, Galil A, Flusser H, Chemke J, Gradstein L, Lifshitz T, Ofir R, Elbedour K, Birk OS. COL11A2 mutation associated with autosomal recessive Weissenbacher-Zweymuller syndrome: molecular and clinical overlap with otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED). Am J Med Genet A. 2005 Jan 1;132A(1):33-5. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.30371.
- Melkoniemi M, Brunner HG, Manouvrier S, Hennekam R, Superti-Furga A, Kaariainen H, Pauli RM, van Essen T, Warman ML, Bonaventure J, Miny P, Ala-Kokko L. Autosomal recessive disorder otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia is associated with loss-of-function mutations in the COL11A2 gene. Am J Hum Genet. 2000 Feb;66(2):368-77. doi: 10.1086/302750.
- Temtamy SA, Mannikko M, Abdel-Salam GM, Hassan NA, Ala-Kokko L, Afifi HH. Oto-spondylo-megaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED): clinical and radiological findings in sibs homozygous for premature stop codon mutation in the COL11A2 gene. Am J Med Genet A. 2006 Jun 1;140(11):1189-95. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.31205.
- van Steensel MA, Buma P, de Waal Malefijt MC, van den Hoogen FH, Brunner HG. Oto- spondylo-megaepiphyseal dysplasia (OSMED): clinical description of three patients homozygous for a missense mutation in the COL11A2 gene. Am J Med Genet. 1997 Jun 13;70(3):315-23. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8628(19970613)70:33.3.co;2-y.
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