What do we mean by congenital hand deformities?

Hand or finger deformities are present at birth and are congenital anomalies; they are unexpected, nobody is at fault for them, they are an anomaly that happens in rare instances. Congenital Deformities of the hand from birth is a huge challenge for a child, and remains a challenge as the child grows up living with it. What makes hand deformities especially disabling is that children begin to learn and interact with their surroundings first and foremost using their hands to feel and inspect new things. The extent of every deformity can range from a rather minor almost negligible deformity like say a difference in corresponding finger length, to very severe deformity, for instance an entire bone may be missing from birth.

Read on if you or someone you know is considering surgery for congenital hand deformities in Delhi, and remember that an early consultation with the best hand and wrist surgeons in Delhi will be of great significance in improving the outcome of treatment for congenital hand deformity for children born with the condition. Reconstructive surgery for hand deformities at birth, or finger deformities at birth in some cases is not possible, however there’s no need to worry because there are great prosthetic devices available today that can be implanted to greatly improve and increase function.

If you are looking for Congenital Hand Deformities Surgery in Delhi, book an appointment today at Aakash Healthcare and get accurate and honest surgical opinion.

The types of congenital hand deformities

There are many classifications for hand deformities but broadly speaking, we can sum up congenital hand deformities in these categories-

When parts don’t form properly

This anomaly takes place during the development of the baby while it is in its mother’s womb. The outcomes can be either a completely missing part of the body, like a finger or hand, or it could be a missing bone. In the case of a missing part, naturally surgery can’t be done but these children can be assisted with prosthetic devices early on in their childhood which makes them better adapted to using it. These anomalies can be classified into a Radial clubhand invloves the thumb sided structures and Ulnar clubhand invloves the little finger sided structures, with cases of ulnar clubhand being less common than cases of radial clubhand. >

When parts of the hand do not separate

In cases of this type of deformity, the parts of the hand ( bones and/or tissues) do not separate in the womb and the most common type of this type of finger deformity is Syndactyly wherein two or more fingers are joined together. Most cases of finger deformities at birth seem to be inherited where members of a family have developed this deformity historically. The two types of syndactyly are simple syndactyly- when there is fusion between only the tissues of the fingers and other is complex syndactyly- when there is fusion between the bones.

Another classification of this type of hand deformity where there is failure to separate can be seen in contractures of the hand: an anomalous pulling forward of the fingers of the hand. These contractures have also been found to develop as a consequence of an issue with the cells in the womb and are caused by problems with the muscles or skin. /p>

A common types of this classification is congenital triggering; when a finger cannot be extended and this is invariably seen in the thumb. It can be a while before it is noticed that a child is unable to extend the thumb. Some of these cases actually improve on their own and surgery won’t be done until the child is between the age of 2 and 3.

Multiple or Duplicate fingers

Also known as polydactyly, this usually happens in the thumb or little finger where there are two fingers of the same kind.

Undergrowth of fingers

Underdeveloped fingers or thumbs are caused because of many congenital hand deformities and surgery is not always mandatory to rectify and correct these finger deformities. Cases of undergrowth and underdevelopment in fingers are when a finger is smaller than usual, bones are missing or underdeveloped, or a finger is missing completely.

Overgrown fingers

This is also referred to as macrodactyly, and it  causes an abnormally larger finger and the hand and forearm can be involved as well. This is a rather rare condition however in this all parts of the finger or thumb are afflicted. On the other hand, only one finger is affected in most cases and the index finger is more susceptible than others.

Treatment

Treatment for congenital hand deformities depends on child's age, general health, severity and cause of the condition. A child’s response and tolerance for medications and procedures also plays a part. The Hand surgeon must understand parent’s expectations and making them understand what’s Best for the child with full knowledge of the course of treatment for the condition.

Treatment includes early limb manipulation and stretching, tendon transfers, external appliances, splinting of the limbs, followed by physical therapy to increase strength and function. Contracture correction and skin grafts are options as well whereas prosthetics can be used if surgery is not possible, or after surgical correction. The Hand Surgery Department of Aakash Healthcare Hospital, dwarka is very keen to address this issue.

In the management of these children, we share the goal of the parents – that is to provide the child as functional a hand as possible with good aesthetic outcome.

We are able to provide a comprehensive care in addressing common problems like joined finger, extra fingers to complex issues like Symbrachydactyly and Radial Club Hand. The Unit is also capable of providing microsurgery solutions for congenital hand differences.

If you have any query related to congenital defects of the hand and wrist or missing fingers at birth, consult our expert clinicians today.

with Dr. Neeraj Godara

×

Call Us

+91 88000 15905

"Or" We Just need a few details




Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *