Klippel-Feil: a (not so) rare disease in the past? A case from Late Holocene in Mendoza Province, Argentina

GUEVARA DANIELA; NOVELLINO PAULA; CASTILLO AGUSTIN; SUBY, JORGE

Congreso; IX PAMinSA- Palepathology Association Meeting in South America; 2023

Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a congenital condition, characterized by the fusion of cervical and/or thoracic vertebrae, whose physiological consequences can be severe, such as deafness, scoliosis, urological and cardiac disorders, among others. A case of KFS in an individual from the site Potrero Las Colonias (1320–1450 AD)- Uspallata, Mendoza, Argentina will be discussed regarding the possible impact in the social experience of the individual in comparison with previously reported archaeological cases. Complete fusion of the anterior and posterior portions of both the vertebral bodies and the lateral apophyses of the C2-C4 segments was recorded, with no evidence of trauma, osteoarticular changes or osteoblastic and/or osteolytic lesions. Archaeological evidence of multiple cases of KFS indicates that this congenital condition has been present in human past populations, suggesting a similar prevalence in the past and presence. Case studies such as the one presented here provide information on the geographical distribution and the impact of this condition on the individual in the past. The possible occurrence of KFS in human remains from archaeological contexts invites us to rethink the systems of care in the past for individuals who suffered from a rare disease in the course of their lives. The paper offers a contribution to a better understanding of this congenital condition and its implications for health over time.