Dorsal view of a hand demonstrating simple incomplete syndactyly between the left long finger and ring finger. Note the incidental café-au-lait spot.
Palmar view of hand with syndactyly. The level of the syndactyly, just proximal to the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint, can be clearly seen on the palmar view.
Dorsal view of the hand of a 1-year-old child with a complete simple syndactyly. Note that both the long finger and the ring finger have distinct nail plates with a trough separating them.
Palmar view of the hand of a 1-year-old child with a complete simple syndactyly.
Dorsal view of hand of a 6-month-old patient with type I Apert syndrome. Note that the thumb is separate.
Radial view of hand of a 6-month-old patient with type I Apert syndrome. The index fingernail is separate, and the syndactyly is complete. The small fingernail is also separate from the rest of the hand. A simple syndactyly between the small finger and the rest of the hand is present. Note that the broad thumb and the abnormal curvature of the thumb is due to the presence of a delta phalanx seen in the x-ray below.
Radiograph of hand of the 6-month-old patient with type I Apert syndrome demonstrates the distinctive characteristics of Apert syndrome. In the small finger, the distal interphalangeal (DIP) is formed. Although a rudimentary proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint is present, clinically this joint is stiff. In the ring, long, and index fingers, no PIP joint is present, and symphalangism is present between the middle and the proximal phalanges. The distal phalanges of the ring and long finger are fused. In the thumb, the proximal phalanx is shaped abnormally and is referred to as the delta phalanx. Synostosis of the ring and the small finger metacarpals is present.
Apert type II hand. Note the complete syndactyly between the ring and the small fingers. The patient's hand was complicated by a chronic paronychia and skin maceration preoperatively.
Apert syndrome (type III), dorsal view.
Apert syndrome (type III), volar view.
Radiograph of the left hand of a patient with Apert syndrome (type III). Note the complicated syndactyly with osseous union in the distal phalanges of all the fingers. Symphalangism is present between the proximal and middle phalanges, without the formation of a proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint in the ring, long, and index fingers.
Poland Syndrome: Dorsal view of a left hand in a patient with Poland Syndrome with brachydactyly (short fingers) and adactyly (missing fingers) with associated simple incomplete syndactyly between the ring and the small finger
Volar view of the preceding hand in a patient affected with Poland syndrome.
Right hand of a patient with Poland syndrome. Note the incomplete syndactyly between the hypoplastic right index and long fingers.
Volar view of the index and long finger in incomplete syndactyly in a patient with Poland syndrome.
Dorsal view of the right hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. The fingers can still be identified individually. Note the presence of a fistula tract between the affected fingers, particularly between the long finger and ring finger.
Palmar view of the right hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. The fingers can still be identified individually. Note the presence of a fistula tract between the affected fingers, particularly between the long finger and ring finger.
Right hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. Radiograph demonstrates that the level of the amputation occurred at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints.
Dorsal view of left hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. The left hand is more severely involved than the right, with all of the fingers being nearly indistinguishable from one another. Note the presence of pits between the fingers where normal webs would be. The most prominent one is between the ring and the small fingers. They often represent fistulas between the dorsal and the volar surface of the hand and are often the only thing remaining of the previous normal web space.
Volar view of left hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. The left hand is more severely involved than the right, with all of the fingers being nearly indistinguishable from one another. Note the presence of a prominet fistula between the small finger and ring finger.
Radiograph of left hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome. The level of amputation is through the midportion of the proximal phalanges of the involved fingers.
Image of the left hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome after a second reconstructive procedure following release of the second and fourth web spaces. The syndactyly partially recurred because of a skin-graft loss. During the second-stage operation to separate the long finger and ring finger, the recurrence in the second and fourth web spaces were re-revised. Thus, sutures are present on both sides of the ring finger and long finger.
Palmar view of the right hand of a 1.5-year-old patient with constriction band syndrome after a previously staged syndactyly release. No skin graft was needed for the release between the long and ring fingers. The patient also underwent revision of the web space between the index and long fingers.
Complete simple syndactyly of the ring and small fingers. Note the ring finger proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint flexion deformity due to the complete syndactyly between the border digits.
Complete simple ring and small finger syndactyly. Note the ulnar deviation of the ring finger due to the syndactyly of the small finger.
Paronychia in a patient with Apert syndrome. Despite the use of oral antibiotics and topical antibiotic solution, the paronychia did not fully resolve until the fingers were divided.
Left hand of a patient with Apert syndrome type II. The hand has already undergone a previous first-stage division. Bilateral releases were simultaneously performed to release the border digits along with deepening of the 1st webspaces using a 4-flap z-plasty.
Volar view of the left hand of a patient with Apert syndrome type II. The hand has already undergone first-stage division. Bilateral releases were simultaneously performed to release the border digits along with deepening of the 1st webspaces using a 4-flap z-plasty.
Left hand of a patient with Apert syndrome type II. This is a 6-month postoperative picture after second-stage release was performed for the central digits between the long finger and ring finger. Surgical release was performed with the standard zigzag incisions. Soft-tissue coverage for the phalanges was sufficient after the release; therefore, a pedicle groin flap was not needed. The long finger and ring finger shared a conjoint nail, which was also released successfully. This picture was taken during subsequent surgical revision of a tracheostomy.
Dorsal view of the left hand of a patient with Apert syndrome type II. This is a 6-month postoperative picture obtained after a second-stage release was performed for the central digits between the long finger and ring finger. Surgical release was performed with the standard zigzag incisions. Soft-tissue coverage for the phalanges was sufficient after the release; therefore, a pedicle groin flap was not needed. The long finger and ring finger shared a conjoint nail, which was also released successfully. This picture was taken during subsequent surgical revision of a tracheostomy.
Dorsal view of the hand of a 1-year-old patient with complete simple syndactyly between his long finger and ring finger. The typical zigzag incisions are marked on both the dorsal and volar surfaces. Note the length of the dorsal trapezoidal flap design. Because it needs to be inset at a 45° angle with the distal edge of the web at the midlevel of the proximal phalanges, the length of the flap needs to be long enough to achieve this goal.
Volar view of the hand of a 1-year-old patient with complete simple syndactyly between his long finger and ring finger. The typical zigzag incisions are marked on both the dorsal and volar surfaces. Note the length of the dorsal trapezoidal flap design. Because it needs to be inset at a 45° angle with the distal edge of the web at the midlevel of the proximal phalanges, the length of the flap needs to be long enough to achieve this goal. Note the incidental simian crease.
Hand of a 1-year-old patient with complete simple syndactyly between his long finger and ring finger. This picture was takenimmediately after the procedure. On the dorsal view, note the proximal skin graft on the ulnar and radial sides of the dorsal trapezoidal flap.
Hand of a 1-year-old patient with complete simple syndactyly between his long finger and ring finger. This picture was taken immediately after the procedure.
Dorsal view of left hand demonstrating a simple incomplete syndactyly between the long finger and ring finger. This incomplete simple syndactyly was released by using a V-to-M flap without the need for a skin graft. Note the markings.
Volar view of left hand demonstrates a simple incomplete syndactyly between the long finger and ring finger. Immediate postoperative results are shown. Note the markings.
Dorsal view of a left hand demonstrates a simple incomplete syndactyly between the long finger and ring finger. Immediate postoperative results are shown.
Immediate postoperative results are shown.
Immediate postoperative results are shown.
One month later, the hand has a sufficiently deepened web. However, hypertrophic and hyperpigmented scars are still present along the incision line.
One month later, the hand has a sufficiently deepened web. However, hypertrophic and hyperpigmented scars are still present along the incision line.
Skin-graft donor site. The donor site in the right inguinal region has healed well 10 months after the patient's syndactyly surgery. The graft harvested was able to resurface 2 web spaces during bilateral web-space releases. The incision is inconspicuous.
Hand of a 23-year-old patient who underwent releases of simple complete syndactyly of both the left third and fourth web spaces as an infant. The patient noticed progressive shortening of the web space and found it hard to wear protective gloves, necessary for employment in the fishing industry. This resulted in a poor fit of the glove and chronic irritation of the web. Note the radial deviation of the small finger due to the contracture from the patient's first surgery. The web space was deepened with local flaps and full-thickness skin grafts from the left groin.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly between the left ring and long fingers with flaps and full-thickness skin grafts at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions. This persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. Contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation. The contracture was released with multiple Z-plasties and the web deepened with a small full-thickness skin graft.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient with syndactyly who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly of the left ring finger and long finger with flaps and full-thickness skin graft at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions, which persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. This contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly between the left ring and long fingers with flaps and full-thickness skin grafts at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions. This persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. Contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation. The contracture was released with multiple Z-plasties and the web deepened with a small full-thickness skin graft.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly between the left ring and long fingers with flaps and full-thickness skin grafts at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions. This persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. Contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation. The contracture was released with multiple Z-plasties and the web deepened with a small full-thickness skin graft.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly between the left ring and long fingers with flaps and full-thickness skin grafts at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions. This persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. Contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation. The contracture was released with multiple Z-plasties and the web deepened with a small full-thickness skin graft. At 3 months after surgery, he was doing well and had no evidence of recurrence.
Hand of a 26-month-old patient who underwent release of a complete simple syndactyly between the left ring and long fingers with flaps and full-thickness skin grafts at 7 months of age. The patient developed hypertrophic scarring along the incisions. This persisted despite conservative treatment with topical steroid cream and scar massage. Contracture was present mostly along the ring finger, causing tethering of the distal ring finger with a mild radial deviation. The contracture was released with multiple Z-plasties and the web deepened with a small full-thickness skin graft. At 3 months after surgery, he was doing well and had no evidence of recurrence.
Hand of an 18-year-old patient of Mediterranean heritage who had undergone multiple syndactyly releases with a full-thickness skin graft harvested from the groin as an infant. The skin graft can be observed as hyperpigmented patches within the web space. Some parts of the full-thickness skin graft also were noted to be hair bearing. Parents should be informed of the potential sequelae of the full-thickness skin grafts as the infant matures.
Hand of an 18-year-old woman of Middle Eastern heritage who had undergone multiple syndactyly releases with a full-thickness skin graft harvested from her groin when she was an infant. The skin graft can be observed as hyperpigmented patches within the web space. Some parts of the full-thickness skin graft were also noted to be hair bearing. Parents should be informed of the potential sequelae of the full-thickness skin grafts as the infant matures.
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