Malacia

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Malacia is abnormal softening of a biological tissue, most often cartilage. The word is derived from Greek μαλακός, malakos = soft. Usually the combining form -malacia suffixed to another combining form that denotes the affected tissue assigns a more specific name to each such disorder, as follows:

  • Osteomalacia (rickets), a bone disorder from vitamin D deficiency
  • Chondromalacia, softening of cartilage (often refers to chondromalacia patellae when mentioned without further specification)
  • Keratomalacia, an eye disorder from vitamin A deficiency
  • Myelomalacia, a disorder of the spinal cord
  • Cerebral softening (encephalomalacia), localized softening of brain tissue

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