Syndactyly is a term used to describe a situation, very common, that happens when one or more fingers, of the hands or feet, are born stuck together. This alteration can be caused by genetic and hereditary alterations, which occur during the baby's development during pregnancy and are often associated with the appearance of syndromes.
The diagnosis can be made by ultrasound during pregnancy or can be identified only after the baby is born. If the diagnosis is made during pregnancy, the obstetrician may recommend carrying out genetic tests to analyze whether the baby has any syndrome.
Syndactyly is classified according to the number of fingers attached, the position of the finger joint and whether there are bones or nerves between the fingers glued, with the most appropriate treatment being surgery, which is defined according to this classification. and according to the child's age.
Possible causes
Syndactyly is mainly caused by genetic modifications, transmitted from parents to children, which cause changes in the development of the hands, or feet, between the sixth and seventh week of gestation.
In some cases, this change may be a sign of some genetic syndrome, such as Poland's syndrome, Apert's syndrome or Holt-Oram's syndrome, which can also be discovered during pregnancy. Learn more about what Holt-Oram syndrome is and what treatment is indicated.
In addition, syndactyly can appear without any explanation, however, it is known that people with lighter skin are more likely to have children with this disorder, just as boys are more likely to develop this mutation than girls.
Types of syndactyly
Syndactyly can be classified into several types, depending on which fingers are attached and the severity of the joining of these fingers. This alteration can appear in both hands or feet and, in the child, it can appear with different characteristics to what occurs in the father or mother. Thus, the types of syndactyly are:
- Incomplete: occurs when the joint does not extend to the fingertips; Complete: appears when the joint extends to your fingertips; Simple: it is when the fingers are joined only by the skin; Complex: happens when the bones of the fingers are also joined; Complicated: it arises because of genetic syndromes and when you have bone deformities.
There is also a very rare type of syndactyly that is called acrossindactyly or fenestrated syndactyly, which happens when there is a hole in the skin stuck between the fingers. As the hand is an important part of carrying out daily activities, depending on the type of alteration, the movement of the fingers may be impaired.
How the diagnosis is made
Most of the time, the diagnosis is made when the baby is born, but it can be performed during prenatal care, after the second month of pregnancy, through the ultrasound exam. If after doing the ultrasound, the obstetrician observes that the baby has syndactyly, he may request genetic tests to check for the presence of syndromes.
If syndactyly is diagnosed after the baby is born, the pediatrician may recommend performing an X-ray to assess the number of fingers joined and whether the bones of the fingers are together or not. If a genetic syndrome has been identified, the doctor will also perform a detailed physical examination to see if there are other deformities in the baby's body.
Treatment options
Syndactyly treatment is indicated by the pediatrician, together with an orthopedist, depending on the type and severity of the change. Generally, treatment consists of performing surgery to separate the fingers, which should be done after the baby is six months old, as it is the safest age to apply anesthesia. However, if the joint of the fingers is severe and affects the bones, the doctor may recommend surgery before the sixth month of life.
After surgery, the doctor will recommend the use of a splint to reduce the movement of the hand or foot in which it was operated, helping with healing and preventing the stitches from loosening. After a month, the doctor may also advise you to perform physical therapy exercises to help improve the stiffness and swelling of the operated finger.
In addition, it will be necessary to follow up with the doctor after some time for the outcome of the surgery to be evaluated. However, if signs such as itching, redness, bleeding or fever appear, it is important to seek medical attention quickly, as this may indicate an infection at the surgery site.
