[Poland syndrome--clinical study]

Poland's Syndrome is a rare congenital abnormality involving functional and aesthetic impairments. Constitutive mark of the condition: partial or total absence of the pectoralis major and minor muscles, symmetric chest wall deformity, brachydactyly/syndactyly. This syndrome is occasionally associated with either unilateral or bilateral hypoplasia of breast.

We present a case of a patient with Poland's Syndrome. This association has not been previously reported in the medical literature. Difficulties by preoperative diagnosis. The purpose of this article--to propose a classification system for the treatment of this anomaly requiring defining the age of the patients for plastic surgery on the chest.

A 16-year-old female with Poland's Syndrome complained of drastic mood changes consisting of depression and anxiety, regular menses, dysmenorrhea and hypomastia. Two reconstructive surgeries at the age of 12 years--surgical corrections of the sternal malformation.

This work shall describe Poland's Syndrome from a clinical, diagnostic, genetic and therapeutic point of view. The Italian Association for Poland Syndrome founded in October 2003 and two nationwide scientific conferences dealt with the position of scientific research and future prospects with regards to Poland Syndrome. Patients are subject to multi-specialist (surgical, gynecological, genetic, psychological, orthopaedic and plastic surgical) checkups, aiming at an accurate genetic and clinical organisation of a therapeutic programme.