Syndactyly Release Research Articles

V-M Plasty and Double Z-Plasty

The release of postburn contractures in the hand is one of the most commonly performed procedures in burn injuries. Various local flaps have been described for release of severe postburn contractures. As the largest burn center covering north and northwest of Iran, we always needed acceptable reliable methods to reconstruct postburn syndactyly and make it as a standard treatment. We used double Z-plasties for the first web in severe contractures (23 patients) and V-M plasties for the second, third, and fourth webs and minor first web contractures (V for the dorsal aspect and M for the volar aspect of the webs). A total of 50 patients from September 2005 to June 2007 with 130 web contractures were operated. Their age ranged from 1 to 75 years. In a 1-year follow-up, all of the patients had good mobility of the fingers with no recurrence. Three cases of necrosis of tip of Z-plasties and 2 cases of necrosis of tip of V-M plasties occurred which were under 3 mm and resolved gradually. Double Z-plasty in first web and V-M plasty in second to fourth webs are considered good choices for release and reconstruction of postburn syndactyly. They are straightforward in technique and can be carried out with little complications.

Comments on foucher′s flap

Foucher’s flap is one of the ideal flaps to cover traumatic defect of the pulp and dorsum of the thumb. Though ideally described for thumb defects with some shortening, it has been proved beyond doubt that it can also be requisitioned to resurface thumb defects without shortening. In the latter indication, it is necessary to harvest the flap up to the dorsum of the PIP joint. However, the distal 1/3 of such a first dorsal metacarpal artery (FDMA) flap becomes a random part of the axial artery flap and hence carries some risk of marginal necrosis. It is surmised that the survival of such a flap is ultimately determined by the relative length of index and thumb. Normally, the tip of the adducted thumb roughly reaches upto 70% of the length of the proximal phalanx of the index finger (32% of the index finger length beyond MP joint); [1,2] such thumbs being ideally suited for conventional FDMA flaps. Individuals with thumb length more than 70% of the proximal phalanx of index finger are the ones likely to need an extended FDMA flap i.e. wherein flap is harvested beyond the PIP joint. One more ambiguous parameter of this flap is the amount of blood supply which comes alongwith the superficial branch of radial nerve. We know that every superficial nerve is accompanied by an artery and vein of its own supplying the skin and integument. Being a neuro-sensory flap, it is an ideal flap for pulp of thumb which restores an acceptable level of sensation, however, it may not match Littler’s neuro-vascular island flap because of poorer cortical reorientation. Kulkarni et al. [3] need to be congratulated for describing one more indication for FDMA flap. Though small traumatic defects on the radial side of the palm are rare, when encountered, this flap is really handy when compared to the alternatives. These flaps are also used in reconstructive surgeries following post burn scar contracture release, [4] syndactyly release, and partial loss of reimplanted thumb. [5] Donor-defect following this flap usually needs split skin graft or full-thickness skin graft. These usually do not give rise to functional deficit. Cosmesis, however, will be a consideration. This can be avoided if one harvests only adipofascial flap to cover

A Modification of the Chinese Island Flap Technique for Simple Incomplete Syndactyly Release

This paper presents a modification of the technique described by Yao et al. using a vascular island flap based on a dorsal digital vessel, which allows transfer of the web proximally and retains the integrity of the web skin. The technique was used in nine patients, aged from 1 to 15 years at operation, with nine incomplete simple syndactylies. The results were assessed at a mean of 36 (range 5-60) months after surgery. No vascular compromise or web creep was noted. This technique enables transfer of web skin proximally in cases of simple, incomplete syndactyly, avoids the presence of scars in the web space and does not require skin grafts.

Symbrachydactylie

Symbrachydactyly is literally defined as a combination of short fingers with syndactyly. Blauth and Gekeler described four types of symbrachydactyly, ranging from simple shortness of middle phalanges to complete absence of digital rays. In type I (short finger) function is quite normal and syndactyly release is usually the only procedure needed. In type II (cleft hand), presence of a thumb and at least one ulnar finger allows pinch function. Surgical treatment, when needed, consists in separation of webbed fingers, resection of nonfunctional digital stumps, or finger translocation. In type III (monodactyly) all long fingers are absent. Pinch function can be created between the thumb and a toe transfer in ulnar location. Bone lengthening is an alternative procedure to create a pincer. Surgery is not always indicated in type IV (peromely) as function can only be restored if active motion is already present at wrist or carpometacarpal levels.

Infantile Digital Fibromatosis

Infantile digital fibromas are rare benign neoplasms that occur principally in children and are usually confined to the digits. These lesions are similar in appearance to several benign and malignant lesions, and biopsy is often required to confirm the diagnosis. The tumor is composed of myofibroblasts, which contain pathognomonic intracellular inclusion bodies. There is a strong tendency for recurrence after excision. We present a 2-year-old who developed extensive involvement of all 4 extremities after syndactyly release. This case is unusual in that the lesions occurred postsurgically and were substantially more extensive than those previously described.

End-of-skin grafts in syndactyly release: description of a new flap for web space resurfacing and primary closure of finger defects.

Treatment of syndactyly necessitates creation of neo-web space and separation of fingers. Traditionally, this has been done by use of flaps taken from the dorsum; the resultant raw areas thus created have been managed by use of skin grafts. The classical teaching has been that the separated fingers will need skin graft as primary closure is not possible. The skin grafts have a tendency to contract and lead to finger flexion contractures and "creep" of the web space. We describe a flap based upon subcutaneous tissue in the web that is moved in a V-Y fashion to resurface the neo-web. The flap donor site can easily be closed primarily. The fingers are then separated; the subcutaneous fat is carefully removed from the finger flaps under magnification to allow primary closure of the finger defects. It has been possible to primarily close the donor site and fingers in all the patients. The procedure has been used in seven patients with 14 web releases. The age varied between 10 months to 3 years. The V-Y advancement flap based upon the subcutaneous pedicle in the region of the web allows adequate creation of a new web space. The careful de-fattening of skin flaps allows the separated fingers to be closed primarily.

KELOID FORMATION RESULTING IN ACQUIRED SYNDACTYLY OF AN INITIALLY NORMAL WEB SPACE FOLLOWING SYNDACTYLY RELEASE OF AN ADJACENT WEB SPACE

We present a case of acquired syndactyly secondary to keloid formation in a previously normal web space following release of syndactyly in the adjacent web space.

WITHDRAWN: Keloid formation resulting in acquired syndactyly of an initially normal web space following syndactyly release of an adjacent web space

This article has been withdrawn consistent with Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal ( http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy ). The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Contrary Intermittent Skin Release of Complete Syndactyly Without Skin Graft in Adults

Contrary Intermittent Skin Release of Complete Syndactyly Without Skin Graft in Adults

Contrary Intermittent Skin Release of Complete Syndactyly Without Skin Graft in Adults

Contrary Intermittent Skin Release of Complete Syndactyly Without Skin Graft in Adults

Contrary Intermittent Skin Release of Complete Syndactyly Without Skin Graft in Adults

There are many different surgical treatment techniques of complete syndactyly. Most of them are techniques involving using skin grafts. We developed a surgical technique that does not require skin grafts, which cause problems in the distal nail border pulp and interdigital web space. Syndactyly release was performed in 12 web spaces of 11 adult male patients. The average age was 21. In addition to a zig-zag incision, contrary intermittent skin release was performed. Primary coverage of the interdigital web space and nail border pulp was achieved without skin graft. We obtained good results by the contrary intermittent skin release method that we developed, in adult complete syndactyly patients who had no chance for the surgical treatment due to several reasons, previously. With such a surgical technique, in our cases we obtained successful results, both cosmetic and functional. The presented technique is an alternative method for syndactyly release without using skin graft in adult patients.

Absorbable sutures help minimise patient discomfort and reduce cost in syndactyly release.

Many surgeons hesitate to use absorbable suture material to correct syndactylies because they fear that it may induce hypertrophic scarring and compromise the outcome functionally and aesthetically. In a series of 25 syndactylies all sutures were carried out using an absorbable, multifilament polyglactin suture material (Vicryl Rapid, Ethicon). A good result with no functional impairment and a natural looking commissure was achieved in 20 syndactylies. 4 syndactylies had a fair result with no functional impairment but with certain aesthetic deficits such as a slightly hypertrophic scar in 2 and a hyperpigmentation of the skin graft in 2. One patient had a poor result with hypertrophic scars that were responsible for temporary flexion contractures. No patient needed to be reoperated. This case series demonstrates that good results can be achieved using absorbable sutures for syndactyly release. Children and parents appreciated the fact that no stitches had to be removed. Secondary anaesthesia for suture removal with its inherent risks and cost was not necessary.

Keloid formation after syndactyly reconstruction: associated conditions, prevalence, and preliminary report of a treatment method

Purpose The purpose of this study is 3-fold: to review our cases of keloid formation after syndactyly release, to report a clinical association between primary enlargement of the digits and risk of keloid formation, and to report treatment using low-dose, short-term methotrexate as an adjunct to revision surgery. Methods A retrospective review of patients identified with keloid formation after syndactyly reconstruction showed associated enlargement of the involved digits. A search of medical records for cases in which both syndactyly and digital enlargement occurred was carried out. Charts and images, where available, were reviewed for information about age, gender, involved site, associated conditions, and treatment. Results Eight cases of keloids occurred in 1004 surgical procedures in 681 patients carried out during the 20-year period reviewed. Seven patients were white and 1 was Hispanic. Seven of the 8 had associated primary digital enlargement. Two patients who had enlarged syndactylized digits did not develop keloids after surgery. There was no family history in any case. Standard treatment (pressure, topical or intralesional corticosteroids, and re-excision) was unsuccessful in resolving the keloids. Two children treated with adjunctive methotrexate had successful treatment of their keloids and near-normal healing. Length of follow-up time after the last treatment ranged from 6 months to 11 years (average, 5.5 years). Conclusions Primary digital enlargement is highly predictive of risk of keloid formation after syndactyly reconstruction. Very-low-dose, short-term methotrexate was successful as an adjunct to surgical treatment in 2 cases.

Surgical treatment of congenital syndactyly of the hand.

Syndactyly is a congenital anomaly of the hand that is more common in males, is present bilaterally in 50% of affected patients, and often is associated with other musculoskeletal malformations or systemic syndromes. The goal of syndactyly release is to create a functional hand with the fewest surgical procedures while minimizing complications. For simple syndactyly, surgical reconstruction can begin at approximately 6 months, although many surgeons prefer to wait until the infant is 18 months old. Special situations, such as complex syndactyly and involvement of border digits, may warrant surgical intervention earlier than 6 months. Reconstruction of the web commissure is the most technically challenging part of the operation, followed by separation of the remaining digits. Full-thickness skin grafting is almost always required for soft-tissue coverage. Complex syndactyly and syndactyly associated with other hand anomalies warrant special consideration. After reconstruction, patients should be examined periodically until they have achieved skeletal maturity because late complications such as web creep can occur.

INTERCALARY NON-VASCULARISED TOE PHALANX TRANSPLANTATION FOR SHORT FINGER-TYPE SYMBRACHYDACTYLY

A two-year-old boy with short finger-type symbrachydactyly involving the index, middle, and ring fingers was treated with intercalary nonvascularised toe phalanx transplantation into the middle finger to obtain stability of the middle finger before syndactyly release. He underwent syndactyly release one year after the transplantation. Two years after the transplantation, the clinical result was satisfactory, although X-ray showed fibrous union between the transplanted phalanx and the host phalanx. Intercalary nonvascularised toe phalanx transplantation is one of the way of stabilising a finger after syndactyly release.

Treatment of the hands and feet in Apert syndrome: an evolution in management.

Apert syndrome is a relatively uncommon condition that is instantly recognizable on the basis of the pan-syndactylies involving both the hands and feet. For more than 10 years, the treatment of Apert syndrome hand and foot anomalies was approached in a comprehensive manner, with attempts to maximize the final results and minimize the total number of operations. Numerous conventions were abandoned in the development of this approach, with the introduction of some new methodologies, including (1) release of all 10 fingers, and toes, in only two operations, (2) elimination of routine digital amputations, (3) abandonment of the zigzag incision in favor of straight-line release, (4) substitution of equal-length anterior and posterior flaps for the long dorsal web space lining flap, (5) leaving of small areas of exposed bone without vascularized tissue coverage, and (6) performance of midphalangeal osteotomies, among older children, to improve hand function. Fifty-seven children with Apert syndrome have been treated at the author's center since 1990, and 43 underwent surgical treatment of their hands and feet by a single surgeon. Treatment can be separated into two phases, early (syndactyly releases) and late (functional osteotomies). Seventeen of those 43 patients were treated at the author's center from birth (type I, 11 patients; type II, two patients; type III, four patients), and 10 fingers and 10 toes were achieved for all patients in two operations. No digital amputations were performed for any of the 43 patients. However, four of 26 patients (15 percent) not treated at the author's center from birth had undergone at least one digital amputation before coming to the center. Twenty-two of those 26 patients required a two-stage syndactyly release to accomplish the separation of all 10 fingers and toes. Aside from the patients who had previously undergone amputations, all other patients successfully achieved 10 fingers and toes, except for one patient (38 of 39 patients, 97 percent). The average operative time for the first-stage syndactyly release of the hands and feet was 4 hours 11 minutes (range, 185 to 300 minutes), and that for the second stage was 3 hours 49 minutes (range, 160 to 300 minutes). Twenty-eight hands were treated with functional osteotomies, which involved permanent angulation of the fused phalanges at the proximal interphalangeal level, to create a "position of function" and provide pulp-to-pulp pinch. In addition, targeted osteotomies of the feet were performed for many of these patients, to decrease pain with walking. There were no major complications. Minor complications included one reexploration because of bleeding, early in the series. There were 13 incomplete secondary syndactylies that required a subsequent operative release (10 spaces treated at the author's center and three treated elsewhere), of a total of 342 spaces (3 percent author incidence). There were no scar contractures or functional limitations that required release. This distinctive protocol seemed to result in improved functional outcomes, with a reduction in the total number of operative procedures.

Reconstruction of the hand in Apert syndrome: a simplified approach.

Children born with Apert acrocephalosyndactyly pose great challenges to the pediatric hand surgeon. Reconstructive dilemmas consist of shortened, deviated phalanges and extensive skin deficits following syndactyly release. We present a 10-year review of patients with Apert acrocephalosyndactyly who were treated with a simplified surgical approach. Between 1986 and 1996, 10 patients with Apert syndrome underwent reconstructive surgery of their hands. The overall strategy involved early bilateral separation of syndactylous border digits at 1 year of age, followed by sequential unilateral middle syndactyly mass separation with thumb osteotomy and bone grafting as needed. In these 10 patients, a total of 53 web spaces were released, 49 of which involved osteotomies for complex syndactyly. Only local flaps and full-thickness skin grafts from the groin were used in all cases to achieve soft-tissue coverage. To date, seven of the 53 web spaces have needed revision (revision rate, 13 percent). Eleven thumb osteotomies (nine opening wedge and two closing wedge) were performed. Bone grafts from the proximal ulna or from other digits were used in all cases. To date, none of these thumb osteotomies have needed revision. This early, simplified approach to the complex hand anomalies of Apert acrocephalosyndactyly has been successful in achieving low revision rates and excellent functional outcomes as measured by gross grasp and pinch and by patient and parent satisfaction.

THE OPEN FINGER TECHNIQUE FOR THE RELEASE OF SYNDACTYLY

A new technique of syndactyly release is described. The technique differs from the standard methods in that more digital flaps are used, and these are longer and are not defatted. A single stitch is applied to secure the tip of the flap and the defects between the flaps are not closed or grafted, hence the term “open” technique. Eight patients had 12 webs released using this operation. We compare this technique with 12 patients who had a total of 19 webs released using the standard technique. Patients were assessed for six parameters of operative success.

Pediatric Regional Anesthesia: Beyond the Caudal

Pediatric Regional Anesthesia: Beyond the Caudal

Poland’s syndrome

Poland’s syndrome is a congenital anomaly that is not hereditary and is of unknown origin. Clinical features are variable and includes the absence of the pectoralis major and minor, upper extremity abnormalities, and often synbrachydactyly. The arm and more frequently the forearm are hypoplastic. We report two cases presenting with the absence of the pectoralis major and minor, hypoplasia of the upper extremity, and synbrachydactyly. Poor cosmetic appearance and low functional capacity, particularly in hand functions were the main complaints. One patient underwent surgery for the release of syndactyly, which resulted in improved functional capacity and cosmetic appearance. The latter patient refused surgery.