What is "chondrodystrophy"

n. an inherited skeletal disorder beginning before birth; cartilage is converted to bone resulting in dwarfism [syn: achondroplasia, achondroplasty, osteosclerosis congenita]

Chondrodystrophy (literally, "cartilage maldevelopment") refers to a skeletal disorder caused by one of myriad genetic mutations that can affect the development of cartilage. As a very general term it is only used in the medical literature when a more precise description of the condition is unavailable.