Achondroplasia is the most prevalent chondrodysplasia and numerous authors have 
documented the varied social and medical complications that may compromise a 
full and productive life. Complications include cervicomedullary compression, 
spinal stenosis, restrictive and obstructive lung disease, otitis media, and 
tibial bowing, among others. These known complications have led to 
recommendations for the anticipatory management of such patients. There are 
relatively few data on the actual rates and timing of these problems. This paper 
reports data on the rates and age of occurrence of several of these 
complications based on a review of recorded chart information of 193 patients 
ascertained from several well established genetic centres with a known interest 
in the chondrodysplasias. The length of follow up varied and the rates of 
occurrence at specific age intervals were used to estimate the cumulative 
percentage affected for each complication. The report includes information on 
otitis media, ventilation tubes, hearing loss, tonsillectomy, speech problems, 
tibial bowing and osteotomy, ventricular shunting, apnoea, cervicomedullary 
decompression, and neurological signs attributable to spinal stenosis.