This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Intercalated deficiency

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

An intercalary or intersegmental defect is a form of congential limb anomaly with failure of formation of parts. It is more widely known as phocomelia. A segment of a limb is absent with relatively normal segment distally. Examples include:

  • complete: the hand attaches to the trunk eg at the glenohumeral joint
  • proximal: forearm attaches to trunk
  • distal: hand attaches to humerus

Phocomelia is associated with the ingestion of thalidomide in pregnancy. It is also part of the Cornelia de Lange association.

Treatment is non-surgical with the introduction of a prosthesis.


Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.