Goldenhar syndrome and hemifacial microsomia: observations on three patients

Three patients with oculoauriculovertebral dysplasia (Goldenhar) or hemifacial microsomia are presented. One had ocular, oral and auricular anomalies; another had vertebral malformations in addition to ocular and oro-auricular anomalies, and in a third only oro-auricular malformations were evident. The oculoauriculovertebral malformation complex is regarded as a variety of bilateral hemifacial microsomia, with the vertebral defects, the rate occipital encephalocele and cleft of lip and palate presumably representing midline interaction between the 2 fields. Hemifacial microsomia is a causally non-specific developmental field complex (DFC) which usually occur sporadically, but can also be seen as an autosomal dominant trait and as a component manifestation in the 18 trisomy syndrome. Pathogenetic and therapeutic considerations are also discussed.