Proteus Syndrome

Proteus Syndrome is a condition which involves atypical growth of the bones, skin, head and a variety of other symptoms. Proteus Syndrome was first identified by Michael Cohen Jr., DMD, PhD., in 1979. In 1983 a German Pediatrician, Hans-Rudolf Wiedemann, named it proteus syndrome, for the Greek God Proteus “the polymorphous” presumably because of the variable manifestation in the four unrelated boys first identified with the syndrome. At this time there are over 120 documented cases worldwide. However, not all cases of proteus syndrome are documented, therefore it is unknown how many individuals have this syndrome. The syndrome became widely known when it was determined that Joseph Merrick (the patient depicted in the play and movie "The Elephant Man") had severe Proteus syndrome rather than neurofibromatosis as was initially suggested. Find symptom details, diagnosis and treatments information.