Hand deformities that are congenital are evident at the birth of the infant. Hand deformity can be challenging for the affected individual as they become older. The congenital hand deformity can vary in degree from mild to severe condition with the entire absence of a bone. The hand deformities can be associated with the problems with the development of various parts in the womb, the failure of the parts of the hand to separate, undergrowth of the digits, overgrowth of the digits, duplications of the digits, congenital constriction band syndrome and the contractures of the hand.
Problems with the development of the parts
This occurs when the baby in the womb has a problem with the development of various body parts that can include the complete absence of the hand or the missing structure. Some of the classification of this type include radial clubhand and ulnar clubhand.
- Radial clubhand is the condition that involves the radial side such as the tissues of the thumb side of the forearm and consists of deformity including the shortening of the bone or the absence of the thumb.
- Ulnar clubhand is a less common condition that affects the ulnar bone with the complete absence of the bone.
Failure of the parts of the hand to separate
Individuals with this problem are born with the failure of various parts of the hand to separate. This includes the abnormal connection of two or more fingers that are fused together in a term known as the syndactyly. When the entire length of the fingers are fused together, it is known as complete syndactyly, the part fusion is known as incomplete syndactyly and when it involves the adjacent finger bones, it is known as complex syndactyly.
Contractures of the hands
This condition is the abnormal pulling of the digits of the hands which can be the result of problems with the muscle or the skin. Although this may resolve on its own, in some cases a surgery is required which may not be performed until the child reaches the age of 2.
Duplication of the digits
Also known as polydactyly, it is the condition when the child has more than five fingers on their hand. Depending on the cases, the extra digit can only be a soft tissue that may be removed, it may contain bone but not joints or be a fully functional digit.
Undergrowth of the digits
This can include the underdeveloped digits such as a smaller than a normal finger, missing bones, the total absence of the finger or the missing muscle in the finger.
Congenital constriction band syndrome
This condition involves the formation of a band around the digit or the arm that can cause a problem with the normal growth and the blood flow. This is also related to other conditions such as cleft palate, craniofacial anomalies and clubfoot.
Treatment
The treatment is based on the extent of the problem and the cause of the condition. This can include tendon transfers, limb manipulation or stretching and splinting of the affected limbs. In addition, a physical therapy may be beneficial or the use or prosthetics is considered when surgery is not optional.
References
http://nyulangone.org/conditions/congenital-hand-deformities/types
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=P01120
