Orthopedic Treatment of Pycnodysostosis: A Systematic Review

Pycnodysostosis (PYCD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder of the bone which leads to stereotypical abnormalities consisting of, but not limited to, sclerotic and fragile bone, shortened distal phalanges, and obtuse mandibular angle. Current literature describes the otolaryngological manifestations and treatment of this disorder; however, the treatment of orthopedic fractures in PYCD patients is seldom described and remains a controversial topic. We aim to systematically review the current evidence regarding the optimal treatment of PYCD patients with fractures. We performed a literature search using PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Elig­ibility criteria consisted of English-language literature of PYCD patients undergoing treatment for orthopedic surgery fractures. Non-English papers or literature focused on maxillofacial manifestations/treatment were excluded. The database search resulted in the identification of 500 articles. After removing duplicates and enforcing our inclusion criteria, 29 case reports/series (40 patients) were included. The average age was 31.25 (­±18.2) years, with 57.5% of patients being female. Overall, 62.5% of patients had consanguineous parents. Additionally, 86.2% reported a history of previous fractures while 47.5% reported a spontaneous or minor trauma fracture, with most fractures occurring in the femur (60.0%) and tibia (40.0%). Radiographic features consisted of densification in the femur 45.0% (18/40), tibia 37.5% (15/40), and spine 25.0% (10/40). Overall, 84.2% of patients were treated with surgical management consisting of internal plate fixation (IPF) (48.3%), intramedullary fixation (20.7%), and Ilizarov external fixation (IEF) (13.8%). Overall, the refracture rate was 25.0% and was lowest in intramedullary fixation (0/6), compared to IPF (3/14) and IEF (3/4). Average time until refracture was 40.6 months (3-132 months). Long-term follow-up is recommended in patients with PYCD due to the propensity for fractures/refractures. While this study provides the groundwork for the treatment of PYCD patients, further research with higher-evidence studies should be conducted to establish the optimal orthopedic treatment of this disorder.