Syndactyly: symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment • hello healthy

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Definition

What is syndactyly?

Syndactyly is a congenital abnormality or defect in a newborn that causes the fingers to stick together or stick together.

Syndactyly is a condition where a baby's fingers are attached which can involve two or more fingers, causing the palms or feet to be shaped like duck feet (webbed fingers).

There is a form of syndactyly deformity where the attachment is only one third of the length of the finger or as long as the fingers are attached to each other.

Adhesions can also only occur in skin tissue, tendons (soft tissue), even in the two adjacent finger bones.

Normally, when the fetus is still in the womb, there are a number of genes that function to order the rows of cells between two fingers to separate completely.

However, in babies who have syndactyly, the genes that function in the development of these fingers are impaired. As a result, the baby's fingers stay together and don't separate into the other five fingers.

Syndactyly is a disorder that can actually interfere with and inhibit the baby's growth and development process. This is because a finger that is attached prevents the growth of the finger from moving the other fingers next to it.

If not resolved immediately, this condition at birth is also at risk of disrupting the mental development of the little one.

What are the types of syndactyly?

Some of the types of syndactyly groups are as follows:

1. Incomplete syndactyly

This condition occurs when the fingers do not stick together to the end. So, only part of the fingers can be seen sticking together.

2. Complete syndactyly

This condition occurs when the fingers are completely attached to each other, aka to the ends. This is inversely proportional to the previous type.

3. Simple syndactyly

This condition occurs when the fingers are held together only by soft tissue. So, the finger bones do not join together.

4. Syndactyly is complicated

This condition occurs when the fingers are held together by bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. This makes the shape of the finger less perfect.

How common is this condition?

Syndactyly is a disorder of the baby's toes or hands that are attached to one another. This disorder can occur in about 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 newborns.

The abnormality is more likely to occur in boys than girls.

Signs & Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of syndactyly?

The main symptom of syndactyly in babies is the presence of two or more fingers that are joined together as if they are joined. The fingers that stick together look like they have membranes, making it difficult for the baby to move normally.

Sticking fingers or toes can be just one symptom of syndactyly. Some babies who have syndactyly also experience more complex symptoms of other genetic syndromes.

Syndactyly is a congenital birth defect or disorder that can cause an abnormal appearance of the baby's hands or feet.

If the size of the fingers that stick together increases in length, this condition can cause growth abnormalities in the baby.

When to see a doctor?

Syndactyly is a condition that can easily be seen from the time the baby is born. If you see the baby has the symptoms above or other questions, consult a doctor immediately.

The health condition of each person is different, including babies. Always consult a doctor in order to get the best treatment regarding the health condition of your baby.

Cause

What are the causes of syndactyly?

According to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, as long as the fetus develops in the womb, the hands initially develop in a paddle or oval shape.

As the fetus develops, the fingers will be separated one by one until there are five on each hand and foot.

The process of separating each finger usually occurs during the sixth week of gestation or the seventh week of gestation.

The cause of syndactyly is when one or more fingers and toes fail to separate during this developmental period.

On the other hand, the fingers or toes are still stuck together and seem to be covered by a membrane.

Genetic or congenital defects that are passed from parent to child can be the cause of syndactyly at birth. In addition, the cause of syndactyly can also be due to environmental exposure or a combination of environmental and genetic factors during pregnancy.

Some cases of syndactyly are conditions that can also occur separately, in the absence of genetic factors.

Meanwhile, in certain cases, syndactyly is a disorder that can be accompanied by other genetic syndromes such as Down syndrome, Poland syndrome, Apert syndrome, or Holt-Oram syndrome.

Risk Factors

What increases the risk of getting syndactyly?

Some conditions that can increase the risk of a baby developing syndactyly are having a male gender.

In contrast, female babies were judged to have a lower risk. In addition, another risk factor for syndactyly is that it often occurs in Asian races and black people.

We recommend that you consult further with your doctor to reduce the risk factors that you and your baby may have.

Diagnosis & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the usual tests to diagnose this condition?

Quoted from Kids Health, doctors can diagnose the possibility of a fetus in the womb experiencing syndactyly by performing an ultrasound examination (USG).

Once the baby is born, the congenital birth defect can be diagnosed immediately. During the newborn examination, the doctor will usually also check for other signs to find out if your little one has other, more complex conditions.

To be clearer, doctors can also do X-rays or x-rays. This examination aims to see if the bones in the baby's fingers are joined together or only the skin and soft tissue are fused.

If the doctor sees that your little one may have a more complex condition related to syndactyly, other tests may be performed.

This series of examinations will help the doctor to decide on the right treatment according to the baby's condition.

What are the treatment options for syndactyly?

Baby toes that stick together are rarely handled because they are generally not too problematic with your little one's development.

Meanwhile, in cases of syndactyly in the fingers of an unusually growing baby, doctors may suggest surgery or surgery to separate them.

So far, the way to separate the fingers that are attached to each other can be done by separating surgery. Surgery or surgery will help the baby to use his fingers properly.

Usually, this operation is done when the baby is 12 months or 1 year old to 24 months or 2 years old. The surgical process also depends on how many fingers are attached.

If not only two fingers are attached, the separation operation can be performed one by one. This aims to prevent complications in the wound and avoid bleeding on the finger that is about to be separated.

After this separation, grafts on the fingers of the skin may be needed to partially cover the wound. This process certainly takes a little longer.

The sooner the surgery, the better because it can have an impact on the fine motor development of babies and children in the future. However, treatment will of course be adjusted according to the severity of the finger abnormalities that occur.

So it is advisable to check the condition of your fetus or baby to a plastic surgeon. The plastic surgeon can identify the type of finger deformity and determine the best therapy for your baby's finger.

In certain cases, surgery may not be performed and the condition of the fingers or toes that are stuck together is not corrected.

This usually occurs because the fingers that are stuck together are still able to function properly, but the nerves, blood vessels, and tendons are fused so that it is difficult to separate them.

Doing occupational therapy and home exercises can help speed up your child's recovery after undergoing syndactyly surgery.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.