CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF THE HAND

General

CLASSIFICATION

·      Formation

·      Separation

·      Duplication

·      Macrodactyly

·      Hypoplasia

·      Constriction

·      General

Failure of formation

Transverse failure

·      absence of parts

Axial failure

·      phocomelia

·      radial club hand

·      cleft hand

·      ulnar club hand

Failure of differentiation

·      syndactyly

·      Apert's syndrome                                                                                              

Duplication

·      polydactaly

Overgrowth

·      macrodactaly

Undergrowth

·      hypoplastic thumb

·      hypoplastic hand and digits                                                                             

Constriction band
Miscellaneous Anomalies

·      congenital trigger digits

·      camptodactylty

·      Kirner's deformity

·      delta plalanx

·      Madelung’s deformity

subclassification of deficiencies

·      Franz and O’Rahilly

Definitions

·      amelia - complete absence of limb

·      phocomelia - terminal portion of limb attached to trunk

·      hemimelia - absence of major portion of limb

·      complete - entire distal half of limb absent

·      incomplete - greater portion of distal half of limb absent

·      paraxial - preaxial or postaxial portion of distal half of limb absent

·      terminal - no unaffected parts distal

·      intercalary - proximal and distal segments intact

Terminal

·      no unaffected parts distal to deficient portion

Transverse

·      defect extends transversely

Hemimelia

·      incomplete

·      complete

Amelia

Paraxial

·      only preaxial or postaxial portion of limb absent

Hemimelia

·      radial

·      ulnar

·      tibial

·      fibular

Intercalary

·      middle portion of limb deficient

·      proximal and distal portions present

Transverse

·      entire central portion of limb absent

Phocomelia

·      incomplete

·      complete

Paraxial

·      segmental absence of prexial or postaxial limb segments

·      intact proximal and distal

Hemimelia

·      radial

·      ulnar

·      tibial

·      fibular

aetiology
Normal development

·      limb buds develop at 4 weeks

·      differentiate over next 3 weeks

·      limb segments develop

·      develop in proximal-to-distal sequence

·      skeletal elements formed as cartilagenous models

·      models ossify

·      clefts form and develop joints

·      embryonic skeleton well formed at 7 weeks

Abnormal development

·      numerous theories

·      intrinsic factors

·      environmental factors

·      may cause

·      arrest of development of embryonic limb

·      destruction of structures already formed

·      must occur between 4th and 7th week

Specific disorders

Transverse Deficiencies

·      complete absence of some part distal to some point on the upper extremity.

·      common levels

·      fingers

·      upper third forearm

·      midcarpal

·      98% unilateral

·      aetiology unknown

·      except for thalidomide

PHOCOMELIA

·      seal or flipper limb (Gr)

·      seen with thalidomide

·      often bilateral

·      loss of intercalated segment

·      hand suspended from trunk

·      loss of elbow joint

·      deformed hand with only 3-4 digits

RADIAL CLUB HAND

·      syn. radial hemimelia

·      longitudinal failure of formation of parts along radial border

Classification

·      short distal radius

·      distal radial epiphysis present but delayed in appearance

·      hypoplastic radius

·      both proximal & distal radial epiphyses delayed in appearance

·      moderate shortening of the radius and thickening of the ulna

·      partial absence of radius

·      usually distal third absent

·      carpus unsupported and radially deviated

·      total absence of radius

·      most common type

Clinical

·      partial or complete radial absence as above

·      scaphoid & trapezium absent in 50% cases

·      thumb absent in 80%

·      marked radial deviation of wrist

·      forearm short

·      25% have associated abnormalities

·      usually cardiac, haemopoetic, GIT

·      often have congenital scoliosis

Treatment

·      splinting from birth

·      soft tissue release at age 2 yrs

·      reconstruction of severe deformity

·      centralisation of carpus over ulna

·      pollicization of index finger

CLEFT HAND

·      syn. ectrodactaly, crab claw, lobster claw

·      longitudinal failure of formation of 2nd,3rd and 4th rays

·      function often good

·      surgery often not required

Syndactaly

·      webbed fingers

·      due to a failure of separation during embryonic development

·      common

·      family history in 40%

Classification

·      simple or complex

·      only skin or bony stroctures involved

·      complete or incomplete

·      extent of finger involved

·      acrosyndactaly

·      fusion of fingers distally with proximal fenestrations

·      brachysyndactaly

·      shortening of syndactal digit

Clinical

·      involves

·      60% ring & middle

·      25% little & ring

·      15% index & middle

·      bilateral in 50%

·      frequently anomolous sharing of

·      musculotendinous structures

·      nerves and vessels

Treatment

·      fix before school age

·      only release one side at a time

·      may jepordize vascularity to finger

Polydactaly
Classification

·      preaxial

·      duplication of the thumb (bifid thumb)

·      most common

·      central

·      duplication of the index, middle or ring fingers

·      rare

·      postaxial

·      duplication of the small finger

·      common

Treatment

·      amputation of extra finger

Macrodactaly

·      rare congenital anomaly with enlargement of the finger

·      index finger most commonly affected

·      aetiology uncertain

Classification

·      static type

·      grows with child at normal rate

·      progressive type

·      progressive enlargement out of proportion to normal growth

Treatment

·      surgery often unsuccessful

Types

·      debulking procedures

·      may need multiple debulks

·      epiphysiodesis

·      when digit achieved adult length

·      digital shortening

·      digital nerve stripping

·      unsuccessful

Congenital bands

·      due to amniotic adhesions formed after haemorrhage in the distal rays

Classification

·      simple ring

·      transversely around limb

·      deep ring

·      associated lymphedema of distal part

·      acrosyndactaly

·      lateral fusion of digits

·      intrauterine amputations

CONGENITAL TRIGGER DIGITS

·      digit shows persistent flexion deformity rather than triggering

·      commonly in the thunb

·      bilateral in 25% cases

·      due to narrowed & thickened flexor sheath

·      spontaneous resolution in 30%

·      must be released before 3 years of age

CAMPTODACTALY
Definition

·      flexion deformity of the PIP joint

·      usually of the little finger

·      not related to trauma, systemic or neurological disorder

·      different from clinodactaly (radial or ulnar deviation)

Epidemiology

·      strong hereditary predisposition

·      bilateral in 50%

Aetiology

·      congenital

·      autosomal dominant trait

Pathogenesis

·      may be due to

·      short P1

·      underdeveloped head of P1

·      tight FDS

·      abberant insertion of the lumbrical into the FDS tendon.

·      initially is correctable

·      secondary joint and skin contractures occur

Clinical

·      deformity present at birth

·      may not become apparent until age 10 yrs.

·      progresses with the growth spurt of puberty.

·      does not progress after age 20 yrs.

·      with time, PIP jt rotates into supination and volar skin bowstrings

Treatment

Nonoperative

·      usually preferred

Operative

·      rarely required

·      if deformity severe or cosmetically unacceptable

·      deformity passively correctable

·      release FDS insertion and reroute into the radial extensors

·      deformity not passively correctable

·      release insertion of the volar plate and accessory collateral ligament

·      osteotomy

delta phalanx
Definition

·      delta phalanx

·      abnormal trapezoidal shaped phalanx

·      clinodactyly

·      medial or lateral deviation of finger at middle phalanx

·      most commonly due to delta phalanx

Epidemiology

·      strong family history

·      most common in

·      proximal phalanx of thumb

·      middle phalanx of little finger

Aetiology

·      abnormal C or J shaped epiphysis brackets one side of phalanx

·      results in angular deformity

Treatment

·      Vickers

·      resection of isthmus of the continuous epiphysis

·      insertion of interpositional fat graft

MADELUNG'S DEFORMITY
Definition

·      defective growth and premature fusion of of palmar ulnar part of distal radial epiphysis

Epidemiology

·      congenital disorder

·      autosomal dominant transmission

·      more common in females

Aetiology

·      idiopathic (most common)

·      trauma to radial physis

·      skeletal dysplasias

·      multiple exostoses

·      dyschondroplasia

·      other

·      Turner’s syndrome

·      mucopolysaccharidosis

Clinical

Deformity

·      development of progressive ulnar and volar tilt at distal radial articular surface

·      resultant dorsal subluxation of the distal ulna

·      lunate lies deeply between lower end of radius and ulna

Appearance

·      distal end of ulna unduly prominent dorsally

·      radial deviation of wrist

Restriction

·      limitation of dorsiflexion and pronation

X-ray

·      lower end of ulna

·      enlarged

·      dorsally subluxed

·      abnormal distal radial physis

·      sloping

·      medial fusion

·      proximal carpal row distorted

·      V-shape

·      lunate in apex between radius and ulna

Treatment

·      initially nonoperative

·      usually pain free with good function

·      may require operative intervention

·      medial opening wedge distal radial osteotomy

·      shortening osteotomy of distal ulna