Congenital Syndactyly of the Third and Fourth Fingers of the Left Hand: A Case Report of Reconstructive Correction
Main Article Content
Abstract
We present the case of a one-year-old pediatric patient with complete syndactyly between the third and fourth fingers of the left hand. The congenital malformation caused skin fusion and functional impairment of the affected fingers, limiting mobility and manual dexterity. Early surgical correction was planned through finger separation using local flaps and skin reconstruction techniques adapted to the extent of the syndactyly. During the procedure, critical neurovascular structures were preserved, and adequate coverage of the interdigital spaces was ensured, preventing contracture formation. Postoperative management included pain control, wound care, and early rehabilitation of joint mobility. This report highlights the importance of individualized evaluation, appropriate surgical technique selection, and comprehensive follow-up to achieve optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes. Early intervention in pediatric patients allows for restoration of digital function, improved dexterity, and enhanced quality of life, underscoring the crucial role of reconstructive plastic surgery in the treatment of congenital hand malformations.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
I. Botek, G. G., & Walker, S. D. (2018). Correction of simple complete syndactyly: Case report and operative technique. Clinics in Surgery, 3, 3341. https://www.clinicsinsurgery.com/open-access/correction-of-simple-complete-syndactyly-case-report-and-operative-technique-3341.pdf
II. Cortez, M., et al. (2014). Surgical results from treating children with syndactyly. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 49(4), 623-627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2014.01.017
III. Darner, G. (2024). Bilateral syndactyly release of third and fourth fingers. Journal of Medical Insight, 290. https://jomi.com/article/290.8/bilateral-syndactyly-release-of-third-and-fourth-fingers
IV. Geoghegan, L. (2020). Syndactyly. Journal of Surgical Case Reports, 2020(12), rjaa517.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjaa517
V. González-Luna, A. de J., et al. (2024).
Polybrachysyndactyly in all 4 extremities: Case report. Journal of Hand and Microsurgery, 46(2), 89-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhans.2024.04.002
VI. Lőrincz, A., et al. (2025). Delayed surgical management of congenital syndactyly: Long-term functional and esthetic outcomes. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(9), 3200.
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14093200
VII. Szymkiewicz, S. (2025). Surgical correction of simple cutaneous syndactyly of the third and fourth fingers in a three-year-old girl: A case report. Cureus, 17(9), e91455.
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.91455
VIII. Shetty, S. K., et al. (2016). Congenital syndactyly of the fingers: A report of two cases. NUJHS, 6(1), 82-85.https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/pdf/10.1055/s-0040-1708624.pdf
IX. Stirnemann, J., et al. (2017). A review of Gaucher disease pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatments. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18(2), 441.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18020441
X. Temtamy, S. A., & McKusick, V. A. (1978). The genetics of hand malformations. Birth Defects Original Article Series, 14(2), 1-17.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/307039/
XI. Zguricas, J., et al. (1994). Phenotypic analysis of triphalangeal thumb and associated hand malformations. Journal of Medical Genetics, 31(9), 711-715. https://doi.org/10.1136/jmg.31.9.711
XII. Gundlapalli, S., et al. (2021). Syndactyly repair with a straight-line technique: A case series. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 232(2), 234-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.11.018
XIII. Langlais, T., et al. (2022). Surgical treatment in child's congenital toe syndactyly: Risk of recurrence and complications. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B, 31(1), 45-49. https://doi.org/10.1097/BPB.0000000000000863
XIV. Özdemir, M., et al. (2019). Atypical cleft hand with complex syndactyly: An unusual presentation. Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), 44(1), 61-63.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1753193409335289
XV. Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Triphalangeal thumb. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triphalangeal_thumb
XVI. Schirlo, J. M., & Smith, A. B. (2024). Comparison between surgical techniques for correction of congenital syndactyly: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 59(3), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.01.002
XVII. Belardo, Z. E., & Thompson, R. D. (2024). Revision surgery following primary reconstruction for congenital syndactyly: A retrospective cohort study. Journal of Hand Surgery, 49(5), 456-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.03.005