Bifid thumb type IV in children: transferring an epiphyseal segment of the proximal phalanx with insertion of the abductor pollicis brevis tendon

Objective

To evaluate the clinical and functional results of the surgical treatment of bifid thumb type IV in children.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was undertaken from January 1995 to December 2006. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were made according to Wassel’s classification. The patients were performed by transferring an epiphyseal segment of the proximal phalanx with insertion of the abductor pollicis brevis tendon into the radial side of the epiphyseal proximal phalanx of the ulnar thumb. All patients were operated using one of five surgical procedures for bicephalous metacarpus, cartilaginous connection between the radial and ulnar proximal phalanges, the angular deformity of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MPJ) is >20°, and zigzag deformities. The postoperative results of the patients were evaluated for both function and cosmesis according to Tien’s modified Tada scoring system.

Results

One hundred and sixty-four patients (102 females, 62 males) were included in this study. The MPJ was stable in 170 thumbs, 15 thumbs had 10° of radial instability, and new collateral ligaments were augmented in 27 thumbs. The alignment was normal in 75 thumbs, with alignment of the interphalangeal joint (IPJ) in 101 thumbs and alignment of the MPJ in 75 thumbs. Postoperatively, there were zigzag deformities in four thumbs (developed zigzag in two thumbs, recurrent zigzag in two thumbs); there was no first web space in those hands. There were four of 185 thumbs with thumb stiffness. The abductor function of 185 thumbs was as follows: >70° in 158 thumbs (85.4%), 50°–70° in 21 thumbs (11.4%), and <50° in six thumbs (3.2%). At the latest follow-up evaluation, no evidence of physeal growth injury or growth arrest was observed in any patient. Overall, we attained good results in 140 thumbs (75.7%), fair results in 36 thumbs (19.4%), and poor results in nine thumbs (4.9%).

Conclusion

We recommend the use of an epiphyseal segment of the proximal phalanx with insertion of the abductor pollicis brevis tendon into the radial side of the epiphyseal proximal phalanx of the ulnar thumb and to restore anatomical insertion of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle. The technique is simple, safe, and effective for thumb abductor function in the treatment of bifid thumb type IV in children.     

Treatment of the delta-phalanx of the adult thumb

Summary An adult with delta-phalanges of both thumbs was treated with removal of the supernumerary phalanx on one side and wedge osteotomy of the proximal phalanx on the other. The results show that wedge osteotomy of the proximal phalanx is the treatment of choice for this type of congenital deformity in adults.     

Opponensplasty by abductor digiti minimi for hypoplastic thumb

Surgical Principles Improvement of pinching ability and opposition motion in cases of absence or marked hypoplasia of the thenar muscles. Transposition of the abductor digiti minimi muscle to the thumb in an own modification: lengthening by shifting its origin under careful preservation of blood and nerve supply to the palmaris longus tendon to give better appearance and enough to reach the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb and the extensor pollicis longus tendon.     

Results after surgical treatment of thumb duplication: a retrospective review of 33 thumbs

Purpose

Purpose This study reports the results of surgical treatment of thumb duplication in the Clinique d'Orthopédie et de Chirurgie de l'Enfant de l'Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre in Lille (France). Methods Thirty patients (33 thumbs) operated on between 1995 and 2003 are clinically reviewed. Results The mean postoperative follow-up was 3 years and 11 months. According to Wassel’s classification, the series included 12 type II duplications, two type III, 14 type IV, two type V, one type VI and two type VII. The surgical approaches consisted of simple resection of the most hypoplastic thumb (16 thumbs), the Bilhaut–Cloquet procedure (ten thumbs) and resection associated with reconstructive surgery (seven thumbs). The Bilhaut–Cloquet procedure was used in three cases for treatment of type IV duplication On the basis of the Tada scoring system, we obtained 24 good results, eight fair results and one poor result. Conclusion Based on our results, we recommend that the Bilhaut–Cloquet procedure be used not only for the treatment of type II duplication when the thumbs are both hypoplastic and symmetric but also for type IV duplication with the same clinical parameters. For the other types of duplications, we consider that resection of the most hypoplastic thumb associated with reconstructive surgery is the best surgical approach. For type VII duplication, ablation of the triphalangeal thumb remains the best option. We do not recommend osteotomy at the first surgery.     

Prognostic value of age and Wassel classification in the reconstruction of thumb duplication

Background

Various surgical techniques for thumb duplication have been described. The main goal in thumb reconstruction is to achieve optimal function, stability, and shape. Few publications have quantified the functional results of each surgical option and factors that may affect these outcomes.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review during the period from 1990 to 2011 of 115 surgery patients, 99 of whom had a mean postoperative follow-up of 44.1 months. They were classified according to the Wassel classification. We assessed the surgical technique, functional results, and complications, and evaluated the probable prognostic value of age and Wassel classification.

Results

This case series comprised mainly female patients (62 %) and the right hand (74 %), with a mean age at operation of 20 months. The most common group was Wassel type IV (54 %). On the basis of the Tada scoring system, we obtained 91 good results (91 %). Complications occurred in 27 patients (27 %), mainly instability and axis deformation. In a comparison of preoperative factors (age at the time of surgery and Wassel classification) with the final results (Tada score and complications), the association between older age at surgery and complications (p = 0.0001) and Wassel types III and IV and complications (p = 0.0210 and p = 0.0095) was statistically significant.

Conclusions

Following the basic concepts of anatomical reconstruction, we obtained good results in most patients. The main complications were instability and axial deformity. These were most common in patients who underwent operations at an age of more than 12 months, and patients with Wassel types III and IV deformities.     

Characteristics of patients with congenital clasped thumb: a prospective study of 40 patients with the results of treatment

Purpose  Congenital clasped thumb is a deformity that is associated with heterogeneous congenital anomalies and it has been addressed in many congenital syndromes. The aim of this study was to diagnose and evaluate cases of clasped thumb as regards the associated congenital anomalies and syndromes, and evaluation of the results of treatment of such cases. Methods  A prospective study on 40 patients with 73 clasped thumbs was done. All the patients’ data regarding their personal, family, pregnancy and developmental histories were recorded. All the patients were exposed to thorough clinical and radiological examination and genetic assessment. The cases were classified using the Tsuyuguchi et al. (J Hand Surg [Am] 10:613–618, 1985) classification into three types. Conservative treatment was adopted in ten hands, and surgical treatment was performed for 28 hands in 17 patients, with an average follow-up of 26 months. Results  Positive consanguinity was recorded in 57.5% of cases. Associated anomalies were recorded in 77.5% of cases. Type I was the most common one, followed by type III and then type II. Conservative treatment is effective in type I cases when presented early, and all patients were satisfied with the results of surgical treatment. Conclusions  We reported associated anomalies which are to our knowledge have not mentioned before in the literature which include; congenital blindness, radial deviation of the index finger and ventricular septal defect. We found that 68% of the patients had associated syndromes, and this has not been mentioned before. In this study, we found that there were no difference between type II and type III clasped thumb as regards the pathological findings, severity, the operative procedures, the treatment protocol and the operative results. Properly planned treatment gives satisfactory results.     

Incidence and development of trigger thumb in children

PURPOSE: Whether trigger thumb is congenital or acquired remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to identify whether trigger thumb is present at birth and to clarify whether trigger thumb represents a developmental condition. METHODS: We examined 1,116 babies born at Yamagata Prefectural Nihonkai Hospital within 14 days after birth. All patients were examined by the author (N.K.), a hand surgeon. Patients were followed up to determine whether trigger thumb would present later even though it was not present at birth. We informed parents about the development of trigger thumb by providing informational sheets for neonatal screenings after hospital discharge. They were asked to check their child for a year or more to see if any flexion deformity of the interphalangeal joint of the thumb occurred. After discharge from the hospital, the family was responsible for noticing trigger thumb in their infant and seeking medical treatment. RESULTS: Trigger thumb was not identified in any patient at birth. Responses were obtained from 601 families. Trigger thumb manifested in 2 thumbs of 2 children in the screening group at 8 and 11 months after birth; however, 3 additional children developed trigger thumb at 15, 21, and 30 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of acquired trigger thumb in children 1 year of age was 3.3 per 1,000 live births. It is unlikely that this study identified all cases of trigger thumb in patients older than 1 year in the primary screening group. The results of this follow-up study, however, suggest that trigger thumb is not present at birth but develops with postnatal growth.     

儿童先天性拇指多指畸形的手术时机及方法

目的 探讨儿童先天性拇指多指畸形的手术时机及方法.方法 对2007年12月至2012年2月进行手术治疗的132例154指先天性拇指多指畸形的临床资料进行回顾性分析.男性85例,女性47例;年龄2个月至13岁,平均(1.53±2.47)岁.所有患者术前均进行详细专科检查和影像学评估,根据患儿年龄、Wassel分型及畸形程度制订个体化的手术方案,包括单纯多指切除术,合并各种皮瓣成形、肌腱移位(移植)、韧带重建、关节囊修复等矫形手术,11例6岁以上的患儿酌情行截骨矫形术.结果 132倒154指中104例117指获得随访,时间为6～55个月,平均36.7个月,根据改良Tada评分进行评估,优77指,良21指,中15指,差4指;3指术后2年出现继发性成角畸形,1指术后3年掌指关节桡侧残留骨骺,再次手术后外形及功能基本恢复正常.结论 先天性拇指多指畸形的手术时机应根据拇指骨化中心出现时间而定,Wassel Ⅰ、Ⅱ型手术选择在1岁6个月远节指骨骨化中心出现后,Ⅲ、Ⅳ型则选择在1岁近节指骨骨化中心出现后,而Ⅴ、Ⅵ型选择在2岁6个月掌骨骨化中心出现后,Ⅶ型可选择在2岁6个月后进行;手术方法应遵循个体化治疗原则,侧副韧带、肌腱及关节囊重建、矫正尺偏(或桡偏)畸形是手术重点.     

Modified method for reconstruction of thumb abduction function in children undergoing surgical treatment of thumb duplication

PurposeThis study was performed to evaluate a modified method of reconstructing the thumb abduction function in children undergoing surgical treatment of thumb duplication.MethodsThis retrospective study included 33 children (38 thumbs) with Wassel type III to VII thumb duplication who underwent excision of the polydactylism and osteotomy of the preserved thumb. Among them, 16 children (19 thumbs) underwent reconstruction of the attachment of the articular capsule and collateral ligament of the metacarpophalangeal joint, abductor pollicis brevis and flexor pollicis brevis by the anchor technique (Group A), while 17 children (19 thumbs) underwent suturing the attachment of the above-mentioned soft tissues to the periosteum (Group B). All children were followed up for six years after surgery. The appearance, function and joint stability of the preserved thumb were compared between the two groups; the bone alignment and development were observed.ResultsThe deformity rate of preserved thumbs and the positive rate of lateral stress test were significantly lower in Group A than B (p < 0.05). The modified Tada score and the distance of first web were significantly higher in Group A than B (p < 0.05). Flexion, extension, adduction, abduction and palmar movement of the thumbs were good; bone alignment and development were good and no osteophyte or anchor shadow was left in the preserved thumbs in Group A.ConclusionReconstruction of the abduction function using the anchor technique is effective in children undergoing surgical treatment for Wassel type III to VII thumb duplication and it may be superior to the conventional technique.Level of evidenceIII     

小儿拇手指再造临床随访26例报道

目的评价小儿足趾移植重要性、可行性及远期疗效观察。方法26例26指儿童拇手指缺损足趾移植再造病例分析，对儿童足趾移植的重要性、可行性及远期疗效进行随访观察。随访6～24月，对患儿的心理健康、功能恢复、供区情况等进行评价、认识。结果根据中华手外科学会拇手指再造功能评定试用标准评定，优良率86％；参照儿童心理健康标准，社会适应性、自信心、个性特征发展等方面均有明显提高。结论儿童足趾移植再造拇指治疗拇手指缺损对儿童身心健康发育及手功能恢复十分重要且可行。     

Classification of congenital thumb hypoplasia and deformity

BackgroundCongenital thumb deformities account for one-third or more of all cases of congenital hand deformity. However, the current classification schemes of congenital thumb hypoplasia are no longer adequate due to their lack of adaptability to increasing knowledge in the field. Hence, a modified system with the potential to adapt to ongoing advances in knowledge and understanding is desperately needed.MethodsBased on the photographs collected from thousands of cases of congenital deformities of the hand and upper limb over multiple decades in our department, we subdivided thumb hypoplasia according to the variables of morphological characteristics, anatomical structures, functional status, the relationship between thumb deformity and hand deformity, the relationship between congenital hand deformity syndrome and thumb hypoplasia, and the selection of treatment methods.ResultsA total of 10 types were presented, which were elucidated with nomenclatures as well as pathological feature and symptoms.ConclusionThis modified system may shed additional light on the classification of congenital thumb anomalies, which will assist in a more effective selection of treatment modalities and offers significant benefits to both patients and practice.     

拇指发育不良的特点及相关因素对于疾病分型的影响

目的探讨拇指发育不良的特点及相关因素对于疾病分型的影响。方法回顾性分析2014年1月至2019年9月在北京积水潭医院手外科就诊的63例拇指发育不良患者的病历资料。统计并分析其疾病特点,分别比较不同侧别患者父母年龄的均值、不同侧别及不同分型中合并其他发育缺陷发生率以及不同分型中各影响因素所占的比例。结果男女比例为1.9∶1。Blauth分型:Ⅱ型占7.6%,ⅢA型占8.9%,ⅢB型占36.7%,Ⅳ型占38.0%,Ⅴ型占8.9%。累及双手的患者较右手单侧的患者,其孕时父母的年龄比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。合并其他畸形者占58.7%,其中心脏畸形占54.1%,同侧肢体其他畸形占32.4%。有阳性家族史占11.1%,母亲孕早期接触放射线占4.8%,孕早期家庭或工作单位装修占19.0%,孕期患有糖尿病占15.9%,既往有流产史占46.0%,保胎史占63.5%,孕早期感冒占20.6%。不同分型中合并其他发育缺陷的发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论拇指发育不良多见于男性,以BlauthⅢ、Ⅳ型为主,可单独发病,也可与其他系统疾病共同出现。遗传、环境、不良孕产经历等因素均可能导致该疾病的发生。     

儿童先天性拇指扳机指13例报告

目的 :探讨儿童先天性拇指扳机指的成因 ,病理改变 ;并对其进行分型 ,对治疗方法进行探讨。方法 :静脉全麻下 ,对11例患儿行狭窄腱鞘部分切除术 ;2例加用肌腱成形术治疗。结果 :全部病例经 6个月～ 5年随访 ,均未复发 ,无术后粘连。结论 :儿童先天性拇指扳机指绝大多数不能自愈 ,非手术治疗效果差。直视下的狭窄腱鞘部分切除术或加用肌腱成形术是目前较好的治疗方法。     

Complete annular and partial oblique pulley release for pediatric locked trigger thumb

Purpose  

To report the surgical treatment outcome of pediatric locked trigger thumb by sequential release of the annular pulley and partial release of the oblique pulley.     

Nonoperative treatment for a double dislocation of the thumb metacarpal: a case report

Double dislocations of the thumb are rare injuries. Those reported in the English literature have all been treated operatively except one. We report the second case of a double dislocation of a thumb involving the metacarpophalangeal joint and carpometacarpal joint treated nonoperatively. Two-year results reveal a stable, pain free thumb with no evidence of arthritis or subluxation. No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.     

After thumb duplication: a proposal for evaluation of the result

Thumb duplication is the second most common congenital hand anomaly after syndactyly [Cohen MS (1998) Hand Clin 14(1):17; Dobyns JH, Wood VE, Bayne LG (1993) In: Green DP (ed) Operative Hand Surgery. Churchill and Livingstone, New York, pp 251–549]. To gain a functional and aesthetically acceptable thumb, surgical treatment is necessary in almost all cases. Many articles have been written on classification systems, surgical treatment and factors influencing outcome. However, literature on evaluating the results of surgical treatment is scarce. Using a mixture of criteria as described by Cheng et al., Townsend et al. and Tada et al., we developed a scoring system that enables an objective comparison of treatment results. We performed surgical correction of the duplicated thumb on 15 patients with various anomalies. Eleven had good results immediately, three had good outcomes after secondary surgery, and one patient had a normal result. It was not possible to compare our results with the results described in other studies due to a lack of similar criteria.