Have you ever heard of people with "extra" fingers? Or maybe you've seen them? Notes about children and adults who have six fingers or toes appear quite often. The Internet is replete with photographs of people with unusual limbs, and ordinary people tend to classify such a feature as deformities or diseases. Whether this congenital defect is so terrible can be understood only by knowing the reasons for the appearance of extra fingers.
Polydactyly - this is the name of a congenital anomaly of an anatomical nature, which manifests itself as additional fingers on the feet or on the hands. Statistics say that out of every five thousand newborns, one has deviations in the number of fingers, and this defect does not always manifest itself symmetrically.
Varieties of polydactyly
Congenital changes in this developmental anomaly can manifest themselves in several ways:
- If the bifurcation of the rudimentary structures of the phalanges occurred in the early stages of development, a full-sized and quite functionalextra finger.
- The appearance of rudimentary undeveloped processes from the outer or inner edge of the palm and foot.
- A split nail phalanx or the appearance of processes on the fingers is also referred to as polydactyly.
A situation where a person has fully functional six fingers on his hand (photo below) is a rarity. In India, such children are born more often than in other regions, so this feature is a separate item in the police questionnaires there. As a rule, the adnexal phalanges cannot be operated on or even controlled in any way, and people with six fingers on their hands undergo corrective operations.
Reasons for multi-toedness
Teratogenic effects of chemicals on the fetus (taking certain drugs by a pregnant woman) can cause a violation of the order of cell division and the formation of tissues and organs. In the case of congenital polydactyly, the rudiments of the digital phalanges are exposed to toxins.
Heredity factor, according to doctors, is the main cause of the appearance of extra fingers. Often in the family pedigree, one can trace the inheritance of this defect and its appearance through a generation or in a series of several generations in a row. The genes that cause polydactyly are dominant, which means they appear when they are present in the genotype. But it happens that due to incomplete penetrance, the defect still remains hidden.
Isolated polydactyly does not pose additional threats to the body, but polydactylism often manifests itself as part of complex gene or chromosomal disorders. scientistsup to 120 syndromes are known, the sign of which is six fingers on the hands or more (Patau, Lawrence, Meckel syndromes).
Diagnosis of polydactyly in newborns
Immediately after the birth of the baby, a pediatrician or neonatologist examines. So when a baby is born with six fingers or toes, the diagnosis is made immediately.
To determine the methods of treatment, the doctor needs to set:
- The position of the additional finger, which can be pre-axial (between the ring finger and the little finger) or post-axial - behind the little finger.
- The nature of the pathology. In hereditary polydactyly, the accessory finger comes off the fifth metacarpal and is fairly well developed. If we are talking about a congenital defect, then the finger will be underdeveloped, in the form of one / several phalanges inside the skin protrusion.
- The presence of additional changes in the anatomy of the metacarpus or metatarsus, which can manifest itself in the form of additional bones, deformities of the joints, ligaments and tendons.
- Is polydactyly an independent anomaly or manifested itself as part of a syndrome. To do this, other symptoms are evaluated and additional tests are ordered.
After that, a treatment method is chosen. It consists in the prompt removal of extra fingers so that a child who has six fingers on his hands or a deformed foot from birth can develop normally without feeling psychological and physical infringement. The doctor determines at what age it is better to carry out the removal, and also whether plastic surgery is needed.surgery to restore the aesthetic appearance of the limb.
Preparation for surgery
Features of the genesis of polydactyly affect the extent of surgical intervention. For example, a skin fold, which is supplied with blood by capillaries, is easy to remove. And if six fingers on the hands are accompanied by corresponding changes in the metacarpus, then more than one operation will be required. And in cases of full functionality of "extra" fingers, a decision can be made to leave everything as it is.
Choosing the method of surgical treatment of polydactyly, doctors conduct several more studies:
- radiography of limb;
- examination of blood supply to the accessory fingers.
There are times when a large vessel feeds two partially separated fingers at once. Then removal without taking into account this feature can lead to subsequent circulatory disorders.
When all research is completed, the operation is performed. Sometimes it is preceded by therapeutic treatment, but such cases are rare. Usually the attending physician insists on the treatment of polydactyly at an early age, most operations are performed in the first month of a child's life.
Procrastination only complicates the situation, because the bones and surrounding tissues in children grow rapidly and experience a certain load. The earlier plastic surgery is done, the less secondary deformations will have to be de alt with.
What if we leave…
Extra toes on the feet are recommended to be removed. Large load on the foot when walking, combined withpolydactyly leads to further deformity of the limb, pain and problems with the selection of shoes.
On the hands, especially if all the fingers are well developed and the hands are symmetrical, this feature will not interfere much. Unless you have to order gloves from a tailor and catch curious looks.
