What to do with congenital polydactyly

Congenital polydactyly is when a child is born with more fingers than the normal number. There are many causes of polydactyly, which is related to genetics to a certain extent, and is also related to the adverse effects and stimulation received by the fetus in the mother's body. Most polydactyly occur on the radial side of the thumb or the ulnar side of the little finger. These are the two most common manifestations of polydactyly. If such symptoms occur, surgery can be used to treat them.

Symptoms and signs

1. Polydactyly often occurs on the radial side of the thumb or the ulnar side of the little finger.

2. Polydactyly can be of different types and may consist of just a skin tag, a forked finger, or a fully developed finger with its own phalanges, metacarpal bones, joints, tendons, nerves and blood vessels, and may have certain functions. Tendons and nerves are often branches of similar tissue from adjacent healthy fingers.

3. The multiple fingers next to the thumb often have three phalanges, the proximal phalanx is longer and connected to the joint, phalanx or metacarpal bone. Some have multiple fingers that are similar to the thumb. Although they are not normal, they all have certain functions, making it difficult to decide on treatment.

4. Polydactyly is often symmetrical and is often associated with other deformities.

5. X-ray examination is needed to understand the bone and joint condition of polydactyly and its exact relationship with normal fingers in order to decide the treatment method.

Causes

1. The cause of the disease is unknown. Some cases are caused by genetic factors and can be inherited from previous generations.

2. Pathogenesis: The influence of environmental factors on the embryonic development, such as certain drugs, viral infection trauma, stimulation of radioactive substances, and especially modern industrial pollution can all become teratogenic factors. Damage to the early differentiation of the limb bud blastema is an important cause of polydactyly. Polydactyly of the thumb is caused by abnormal development of the ectodermal apical ridge, proximal extension of the apical part of the thumb and slow retraction.

Surgical method:

1. Reconstruction of collateral ligament: when a relatively complete collateral ligament can still be found during the operation; or the collateral ligament can be reconstructed by transposition of the intrinsic extensor tendon of the index finger;

2. Joint fixation: Suitable for people with poor interphalangeal joint function and over 13 years old.

Supernumerary fingers can occur at the distal phalanx or proximal phalanx of the fingers, connected to normal phalanges or metacarpals, or they can occur on one side of the metacarpophalangeal joint or interphalangeal joint. Some polydactyly may be the result of duplicate development of a certain finger, with corresponding supernumerary metacarpal bones, resulting in six fingers on one hand or even double hand deformity, but this is less common.