NEUROFIBROMATOSIS

Course overview

NEUROFIBROMATOSIS IS A NEUROCUTANEOUS DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY TUMORS IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SKIN. THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF NEUROFIBROMATOSIS ARE TYPES 1 AND 2, BOTH OF WHICH ARE AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT. NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1, ALSO KNOWN AS VON RECKLINGHAUSEN DISEASE, PRESENTS WITH NEUROFIBROMAS, CAFE-AU-LAIT SPOTS, FRECKLING, AND OPTIC GLIOMAS. NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 2 IS CHARACTERIZED BY BILATERAL VESTIBULAR SCHWANNOMAS AND MENINGIOMAS. TREATMENT FOR NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPES 1 AND 2 INVOLVES CLINICAL MONITORING AND MEDICAL INTERVENTION WHEN APPROPRIATE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF NEUROFIBROMATOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.