Incomplete syndactyly: The fingers or toes are joined only part of the way to the tips. Categories of the condition include:Ĭomplete syndactyly: The skin is fused all the way to the tip of affected fingers or toes. Surgery is generally needed before a child is 18 months old to separate the fingers or toes and may require extra skin to be taken from a separate area on the body, depending on the extent the fingers were joined. There is often a family history, and these cases often involve both fingers and toes. Syndactyly affects twice as many boys as girls. It usually involves the middle and ring fingers. This condition occurs when two or more fingers fail to separate when a baby is in the womb-resulting in "webbed" fingers at birth. Syndactyly is one of the most common birth defects of the upper limbs-seen in as many as 1 in every 2,000 live births. Stumps can be treated by a hand specialist in the office.Ĭentral polydactyly: Extra fingers can be located between center fingers, although this is less common. These may occur as complete, separate fingers or just as small stumps. Postaxial polydactyly: Involves having extra fingers on the opposite (the "pinkie" side). A pediatric surgeon can remove the extra bone and skin and repair the tendons. Preaxial polydactyly: Involves having an extra thumb. There are different types of polydactyly: A baby may be born with several extra fingers. Very rarely, the extra finger is a fully functioning digit. Sometimes, the extra finger contains bones but not joints. An extra finger is often a small piece of soft tissue that can be simply removed. It affects boys and girls equally. A baby born with polydactyly has more than five fingers on one hand. Polydactyly is the most common congenital hand deformity. Pediatric plastic and orthopedic surgeons diagnose and treat children with all types of hand malformations. Your pediatrician will often provide referrals to pediatric plastic surgeons or pediatric orthopedic surgeons. The most important goal of any treatment for hand malformations is to help a child function as independently as possible. If a child is having difficulty doing the things he or she wants to do because of a hand malformation, treatment options may be available. If child is functioning well and is happy, treatment is not always necessary. Potential emotional and social harm from childhood teasing about appearance Limitations on certain types of exercises and sports Others, however, may face various challenges as they grow and learn:ĭevelopmental problems such as delayed or deficient motor skillsĭifficulties with activities of daily living activities and basic self-care skills The cause of congenital hand anomalies is unknown.ĭepending on the type and extent of a hand malformation, some babies may have little trouble adapting and functioning well. When they are not, they often come as a surprise to parents. These anomalies occur in early pregnancy and are sometimes diagnosed by ultrasound during pregnancy. The knowledgeable and highly trained staff at the Hand Surgery Program will work with each patient to determine the best treatment option.Of the 1% to 2% of babies born with congenital defects, 10% are born with malformations to the hand. ![]() ![]() Physical therapy may be needed if several surgeries are performed Surgery performed in childhood may need to be adjusted for growth with touch-up surgery when the child is older. At a follow up visit the physician will remove the cast and fit a splint onto the affected fingers. ![]() Surgery is generally performed early on, particularly for complex syndactyly, in order to minimize potential issues that may form among the conjoined digits as the child grows.Īfter surgery, protecting the hand in a cast is necessary to ensure the area heals properly. If this occurs, the skin is most often taken from the stomach or hip areas. This method reduces the need for skin grafts, although those may be needed if there is not enough skin to cover the fingers. The general method for addressing conjoined digits is creating zigzag cuts along the webbing and then attaching the flaps of skin created by the cuts to the fingers. The surgical method used to address the condition will depend on the type of syndactyly the patient has and the fingers involved. When the condition is affecting the fingers, surgery is used to separate the fingers and restore function. If syndactyly is affecting the toes, no treatment may be needed because the condition rarely causes functional challenges.
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