Surgery>>>>>Wound Healing
Question 4#

Which of the following is commonly seen in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)?

A. Small bowel obstructions
B. Spontaneous thrombosis
C. Direct or recurrent hernias in children
D. Abnormal scarring of the hands with contractures

Correct Answer is C

Comment:

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of 10 disorders that present as a defect in collagen formation. Over half of the affected patients manifest genetic defects encoding alpha chains of collagen type V, causing it to be either quantitatively or structurally defective. These changes lead to "classic" EDS with phenotypic findings that include thin, friable skin with prominent veins, easy bruising, poor wound healing, atrophic scar formation, recurrent hernias, and hyperextensible joints. Gastrointestinal (GI) problems include bleeding, hiatal hernia, intestinal diverticula, and rectal prolapse. Small blood vessels are fragile, making suturing difficult during surgery. Large vessels may develop aneurysms, varicosities, arteriovenous fistulas, or may spontaneously rupture.