Arthrochalasis

The so-called Danlos or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome consists of three symptoms: (1) pronounced fragility of the skin and its blood vessels, with breaking, splitting and the formation of hematomas and pseudotumors subsequent to the slightest trauma (dermatorrhexis-fragilitas cutis), (2) a more or less pronounced hyperlaxity and hyperelasticity of the skin (dermatochalasis-laxitas cutis) and (3) more or less pronounced hyperlaxity or hyperflexibility of the joints (arthrochalasis-laxitas articularis).

Generalized hypermobility of joints has been reviewed by Hass and Hass (1958) who described 5 patients in detail and called the condition arthrochalasis multiplex congenita; they noted that little attention had been paid previously to the orthopaedic manifestations and stressed that generalized hypermobility could exist without skin laxity; they suggested that it was an entity separable from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and that joint involvement was very variable.

The classic, hypermobility and vascular subtype of EDS are the most common, whereas the kyphoscoliosis, arthrochalasis and dermatosparaxis types constitute very rare conditions.