Morvan's Disease

MORVAN'S DISEASE (Morvan), a unique trophic disorder of the hands, described by Morvan in 1883 (paresie analgesique a panaris des extremites superieures) as a distinct disease; characterized by impairment of all types of skin sensitivity and formation of multiple painless nail bed infections (panaritium analgicum). Deep trophic disturbances gradually affect the phalangeal bones, and the fingers fall off; at the same time the skin thickens and becomes

hyperkeratotic. The disease is accompanied by degeneration of the posterior columns of the spinal cord and gliosis of the anterior horns, and in essence represents one of the constituent parts of the symptom complex of syringomyelia, rather than a distinct disease (Gowers called this disease syringomyelia with peripheral neuritis). However, one should not consider Morvan's symptom complex merely as a late manifestation of central spinal cord gliosis, supposedly indicating the severity and extent of the pathogenic focus. Central gliosis, like all processes arising on the basis of developmental anomalies, does not differ in topographical constancy and stereotypy of its symptoms. See Syringomyelia.