Additional fingers (polydactyly) can be treated through suture ligation

Polydactyly is a physical abnormality characterized by the presence of additional fingers or toes, so that the appearance is more than five. Polydactyly comes from the Greek "polys", which means "many", and "daktylos, which means" finger ".

Treatment of polydactyly can only be done surgically, and the techniques vary. One of them is suture ligation technique. The following is complete information about this medical procedure.

What causes polydactyly?

During the development of the embryo in the womb, the hands that were originally paddle shaped like duck feet will split into five fingers that are separated from each other. Polydactyly can occur when there is an error in this process, resulting in the formation of an additional finger from one of the fingers or toes that splits again in half.

Many cases of polydactyly occur for no apparent reason, while some other cases occur due to hereditary (genetic) chromosome abnormalities. Polydactyly can also occur due to congenital birth defects, for example due to smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy, exposure to harmful chemicals, to infection with viruses during pregnancy, such as TORCH, toxoplasma, rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and herpes.

Polydactyly is the most common birth defect, affecting about 1 in every 1,000 births.

What is the suture ligation procedure to remove excess baby fingers?

Suture ligation is the procedure of tying excess finger with thread to cut off blood flow. This aims to turn off the extra tissue so that it is finally released.

This procedure is performed depending on the size and type of duplicated finger. Additional fingers are usually located on the side of the thumb (radial), little finger, or in the middle (central). The advantages of this finger are that they are perfectly shaped like ordinary fingers, but there are also those that develop abnormally; smaller in size and "live" close to the other finger.

Are there any complications or side effects from the suture ligation procedure?

Yes. As with any medical procedure, suture ligation has its complications. The most common is the formation of scar tissue that interferes with the physical appearance of the baby, as well as inflammation characterized by pain and swelling due to necrotis (cell and tissue death).

Some of the other complications that may occur include ischemia (lack of blood supply), blood clots, erythema (inflammation) and cellulitis (infection of the skin).

According to the US National Institutes of Health, one of the authors on the study said, "Although suture ligation has proven to be simple, safe and effective, limited medical evidence suggests that this procedure is a riskier for amputation than for ordinary surgery."

Additionally, suture ligation is more likely to cause a more painful neuroma syndrome than surgical excision. Neuroma refers to a growth of nerve tissue that causes discomfort, whether it is pain, a burning sensation, or numbness. This will certainly affect the quality of life of the baby and require additional, more complicated procedures to cure it.

x