Many craniofacial and musculoskeletal abnormalities occur only at a single, specific site. They may be a deformity (alteration in shape due to unusual pressure and malpositioning [eg, clubfoot]) or a malformation (an error in normal organ or tissue development [eg, anencephaly]). Both deformities and malformations affect function. Some abnormalities (eg, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita) affect multiple sites.

Last full review/revision January 2010 by Gregory S. Liptak, MD, MPH

Content last modified June 2010