– deformation of a limb, characterized by the presence of additional fingers on the hands or feet. With polydactyly, the child has additional normally developed fingers or their rudimentary appendages on the arms or legs; syndactyly and brachydactyly often occur. Diagnosis of polydactyly is based on a visual examination of the limb, X-ray data of the bones and fingers of the hand/toe, and the results of genetic counseling. Treatment for polydactyly involves surgical removal of the extra digits, using skin, tendon, or bone grafting if necessary.

ICD-10

Q69

General information

Polydactyly is an anatomical anomaly representing a congenital increase in the number of fingers or toes from six-fingered to multi-fingered. Information about the frequency of polydactyly in the population is contradictory: according to different authors, polydactyly occurs in 1 out of 630-3300 newborns; The sex ratio is the same. Polydactyly can manifest itself in pure form or combined with other congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system - hip dysplasia, brachydactyly, syndactyly, flexion contractures of the fingers, etc.

Polydactyly disrupts the function of the limbs, limits physical development, negatively affects the child’s psyche, is accompanied by the need to wear orthopedic shoes, and limits the choice of profession. The medical solution to the problem of polydactyly is provided by orthopedics and genetics.

Causes of polydactyly

One of the causes of polydactyly is heredity. Familial cases of polydactyly are transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner with incomplete penetrance, i.e. the father or mother are carriers of the polydactyly gene, but they can be healthy. The chance of children inheriting polydactyly is 50%.

In some cases, polydactyly may be one of the symptoms of complex chromosomal disorders (Patau syndrome) and gene syndromes (Meckel syndrome, Ellis-Van Creveld, Lawrence-Moon-Barde-Biedl syndrome, etc.). In genetics, there are about 120 syndromes accompanied by polydactyly.

The causes of isolated polydactyly have not been precisely established. It is assumed that this congenital deformity occurs at 5-8 weeks of embryogenesis and is caused by an increase in the number of mesodermal cells.

Classification of polydactyly

Based on localization, they distinguish between radial (preaxial), central and ulnar (postaxial) polydactyly. With radial localization of the defect, doubling of the segments of the first finger occurs; with the central one - 2-4 fingers; with ulnar – duplication of the 5th finger.

According to the type of duplication, 3 types of polydactyly are distinguished: 1 - the presence of additional vestigial fingers consisting of skin; 2 – the presence of additional fingers, which are a bifurcation of the main ones; 3 – the presence of full, normal shape and size of additional fingers. An important classification feature is the presence or absence of deformation of the main finger in polydactyly, since surgical tactics will depend on this.

Polydactyly is most often found on the hands, although an increase in the number of toes is possible, as well as a combination of polydactyly on the hands and feet. According to observations, unilateral polydactyly predominates over bilateral (65% and 35%, respectively); right-sided - approximately 2 times higher than left-sided.

Symptoms of polydactyly

The main sign of polydactyly is the presence of extra fingers on the hands or feet. In this case, additional fingers can be of normal size and structure or represent rudimentary appendages. In most cases, the accessory fingers are small in size and have a reduced number of phalanges; They are often completely devoid of a bone base and represent non-functioning soft tissue formations on a skin stalk. Sometimes doubling of only the nail phalanx occurs.

In addition to an increase in the number of fingers, with polydactyly there is deformation of the osteoarticular apparatus of the affected segments, which progresses with age and contributes to the development of secondary deformations and static-dynamic disorders.

With chondroectodermal dysplasia (Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome), polydactyly is combined with symmetrical shortening of the limbs, short stature, chest deformation, congenital heart defects (atrial septal defect, single atrium, ventricular septal defect, aortic stenosis), clubfoot, etc.

In the structure of Lawrence-Bardet-Moon-Biedl syndrome, along with polydactyly, mental retardation, obesity, retinitis pigmentosa, underdevelopment of sexual characteristics, syndactyly, and cranial deformation are noted.

Children with Patau syndrome (trisomy 13) have multiple developmental defects: microcephaly, myelomeningocele, microphthalmia, corneal opacities, deformation of the auricles, cleft lip and palate, polydactyly, oligophrenia, defects of internal organs (heart, blood vessels, spleen, pancreas) , kidney).

Diagnosis of polydactyly

Diagnosis of polydactyly is carried out on the basis of clinical, radiological, electrophysiological, biomechanical, genetic and other research methods.

Clinical diagnosis of polydactyly involves examining the child by a pediatric orthopedic traumatologist, identifying anatomical and functional disorders, and determining the type of deformity. In addition to an orthopedist, a child with polydactyly should be examined by a medical geneticist and pediatrician.

An X-ray examination consists of performing an X-ray of the hand or X-ray of the foot and assessing the anatomical relationships of the osteoarticular apparatus. To identify and evaluate the condition of bone, cartilage and soft tissue structures, MRI of the hand or foot is indicated.

Of additional importance in the examination are electrophysiological diagnostic methods (electromyography, rheovasography), which make it possible to determine the condition of the muscles and regional blood flow in polydactyly. Biomechanical studies (stabilography, podography) are aimed at determining the static load on the limbs with polydactyly foot.

Genetic diagnostics includes genealogical analysis, establishing the type of inheritance, predicting the risk of having a child with polydactyly in a given family. With polydactyly associated with chromosomal and gene syndromes, special meaning acquires prenatal diagnosis (obstetric ultrasound, amniocentesis or chorionic villus biopsy with fetal karyotyping). If the fetus has isolated polydactyly, pregnancy is prolonged; If a severe chromosomal pathology is detected, the question of artificial termination of pregnancy is raised.

Treatment of polydactyly

Polydactyly is treated only surgically. If the additional finger is connected to the main one only with the help of a skin membrane, its removal is carried out in the first months of the child’s life. In all other cases, it is advisable to postpone surgical intervention until the age of 1 year.

Options for surgical correction of polydactyly, depending on the type of deformity, can be different: removal of an additional segment (finger) without surgery on the main finger; removal of an additional segment (finger) with corrective osteotomy of the main finger; removal of an additional segment (finger) with skin, tendon or bone grafting.

Rehabilitation activities in the postoperative period include exercise therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures (magnetic therapy, infrared irradiation), massage.

Forecast and prevention of polydactyly

Isolated polydactyly in most cases can be successfully cured surgically. The best functional and cosmetic results are achieved when surgery is performed at an early age. With polydactyly associated with genetic or chromosomal abnormalities, the prognosis is determined by the severity of the underlying syndrome.

Prevention of polydactyly involves medical and genetic counseling of couples whose families have inherited cases of polydactyly; careful pregnancy planning and exclusion of any possible adverse effects in the first trimester of fetal development. Prevention of postoperative relapses and complications consists in choosing the optimal method of surgical correction and carrying out full rehabilitation. After the operation, children should be monitored by a pediatric orthopedist until the end of the period of intensive growth of the hand and foot (14-15 years).

In the summer of 2007, the world was shocked by the news: “A baby was born in New York with six fingers and toes. The boy is completely healthy. Its weight is more than 3 kg.” What is this anomaly called? Is it possible to predict its development? The article contains detailed answers to questions that concern many.

The sixth finger relates to development. Polydacty or hexadactyly is extremely rare - 1 newborn in 5000 cases. Modern advances in medicine make it possible to remove the defect in childhood. Surgical intervention is aimed at achieving a cosmetic effect.

There can be a number of reasons for having six fingers on a hand. The main generally accepted fact is heredity:

• 6 fingers on the hand or foot of one of the parents;
• extra chromosome in pair 13;
• abnormalities of bone development;
• genetic disease.

Interesting to know! Scientists have proven the fact of the development of a palm or foot with 6 fingers due to the bad habits of the mother. Smoking and alcohol, prolonged depression and severe stress increase the likelihood of developing abnormalities.

Fantastic and unproven versions

Many scientists are tormented by the question: “Is 6 fingers a disease or a pattern?” One of the fantastic versions says that man is a product of mixing of pre-existing races. In ancient times, six-fingered people were not uncommon. But their small number influenced the fact that the genes were suppressed. Therefore, echoes of antiquity with special conditions still meet today.

Another version is based on the legends of the Sumerian epic. Previously, there was a tenth planet - Tiamat. It was inhabited by intelligent creatures who were gigantic in stature and had 6 fingers. After the death of their home planet, the survivors inhabited the upper reaches of the Euphrates. Gradually, strangers mixed with the Assyrians, giving them a new gene.

Important to remember! In any case, a six-fingered hand or foot is not a reason to attribute terrible diseases or contagious pathologies to the owner.

Polydacty in celebrities

An interesting version says that six toes on a foot or hand are a sign of the chosen ones. This is a kind of mark for extraordinary and talented individuals.

And in conclusion, it is advisable to quote wise and relevant words: “A six-fingered hand is not a deformity. Ugliness is inside a person.” And maybe an extra finger is a sign of your uniqueness and originality?

Valentin Khagdaev of his own hands, or rather, his forked one thumb on his right hand, never hid it. And when I was a pioneer, a Komsomol member, I built the BAM and even served in the army. The medical commission examined his unusual gear with curiosity and wrote: fit for service. Indeed, the sixth process (the second one) was no different from the others; it also bent and unbent, had a nail and all the phalanges required by status. It was with this finger in the workshops of LVRZ that the turner Valentin exceeded the socialist plan by 150% and became a shock worker of communist labor. With a finger, he ran for the post of head of the Olkhonsky district of the Irkutsk region, where he lives. Sometimes the finger was used for its intended purpose.
“I remember I worked at the institute in the philosophy department, lecturing to students,” recalls Valentin Khagdaev. “They don’t listen to the story, but pester you with all sorts of questions, something like: there are miracles in the world or there aren’t.” They happen, I say.
And I show them my sixth finger. The impression was that there was silence in the audience until the end of the lecture. I confess that I tried to get rid of the extra finger, although my great-grandfather and, probably, other relatives had six fingers. I wanted to have surgery in Irkutsk, I was examined, but the doctors said that they did not recommend it. There are many nerve nodes in the finger, so they are not responsible for the consequences. And then I became a shaman, and the sixth finger became my distinctive sign. Everyone in the village calls him “six-fingered.” Sometimes boys are brought to me with six fingers and toes. If a Russian child, I say jokingly, will be a sorcerer, if a Buryat, I say, will be my student.
Six-toed llama
It may be considered a coincidence, but the second six-fingered man known to the residents of Buryatia also turned out to be a religious figure. Sanjay Lama, a servant of the Ivolginsky datsan, has six fingers and toes. The sixth process is really the sixth in a row and seems to be peeking out from under the little finger. His mother and older brother had six fingers on their hands, and his children “carried” the same number of fingers on their hands. After the mother’s finger was removed and she was ill for a long time, the family decided not to do anything like that again. They got used to having extra fingers, except for the cases when playing children pressed their sixth finger against the door. Somehow it just happened that Sanzhizhap entered the Buddhist Institute in Ulaanbaatar, and after graduation he came to work at the Ivolginsky datsan. He makes no connection between his career growth and the presence of extra shoots on his limbs. He says he's no different from ordinary people. But who knows…
Polydactyly is the most common anomaly of the limbs, in which instead of five fingers there are six or more on the hand. This is a congenital disease; the causes of polydactyly are most often hereditary. It is known that in Europe, during the witch hunt, people with six fingers and toes were considered fiends of hell and were mercilessly exterminated. In Russia before the revolution, there were entire villages of six-fingered people. History shows that the sixth finger adorned the right hand Queen of England Anne Boleyn (1507–1536). Actress Marilyn Monroe had six toes on her right foot. The ubiquitous journalists discovered six toes on each foot of the lead singer of the British band Oasis, Liam Gallagher. But the most famous six-fingered earthling was Joseph Stalin. By the way, it is precisely this physical anomaly that many scientists explain his cruelty and suspicion.
Dr. Hannibal "Cannibal" Lecter is a character who appeared in four novels by Thomas Harris and their film adaptations: Red Dragon (published in 1981, filmed in 1986 as Manhunter and in 2002 under the same title), The Silence of the Lambs (published 1988, filmed 1991), Hannibal (published 1999, filmed 2001) and Hannibal Rising He had six fingers on his left hand
The Belarusian Olympic champion of Beijing in weightlifting, Borisov resident Andrei Aramnov, admitted that until the age of 14 he was six-fingered: he had a second little finger on one hand, which functioned quite normally. However, when he began to lift weights seriously, he was advised to remove his sixth finger. It’s good that the operation did not affect the skill of the future
champion.
The reason for six-fingeredness seems to me to be clearly in the genes of the ANNUNaki. There were such Nephilim giants who were considered the ancestors of the Aryans and Rus. remember Goliath and Cyclops. These are the same TITANS!
Here are the scientific names for this syndrome
familial polydactyly (hereditary variant)
* Ellis van Creveld syndrome (chondroectodermal dysplasia)
* carpenter syndrome
* trisomy 13
* Rubinstein-Taybee syndrome
* Smith-Lemli-Opitz
*Lawrence-Moon-Beadle syndrome
* Thoracic dystrophy with asphyxia
* Kallman syndrome
Before the revolution, even in Russia, they counted in dozens. Often in everyday life we ​​come across the duodecimal number system: tea and table sets for 12 people, a set of handkerchiefs - 12 pieces.
The English, the younger brothers of the Rus, retained this account. Elements of the duodecimal number system in England in the system of measures (1 foot = 12 inches) and in the monetary system (1 shilling = 12 pence)
The Babylonians are the Annunaki and it is from them that we find the first mention of 60.
In metrology, the factorizability (factorability) of a number is of great importance, which is why 8 and 12 play such a prominent role in non-metric systems of weights and measures. On American stock exchanges Fractions are usually expressed in eighths, and time is divided by 12 and makes significant use of 60-part units.
I will continue this topic in future articles.

Six-fingered or polydactyly - this diagnosis is given to newborns who were born with one extra toe or hand. This is a congenital anomaly and the causes of its occurrence have not yet been proven.

If the baby received such a diagnosis in the maternity hospital, then do not despair. First of all, you need to contact a surgeon. A specialist will assess the situation, prescribe diagnostics and perform surgery if necessary.

Features of the pathology

In medical practice, you can find various forms of polydactyly. Most often, an additional limb is formed in the area of ​​the thumb or little finger. Moreover, the sixth finger can be on one hand or leg, or on each limb. There are also various pathological features. Sometimes the extra finger does not have a bone. It weighs on a thin thread of skin and can be easily (and most importantly painlessly for the baby) removed in the maternity ward. But in the opposite case, when the rudiment has its own bone base, it is necessary to prepare for a more serious surgical intervention. Just don’t be afraid, since such an operation is not difficult for an experienced surgeon.

Preparing for surgery

It is important to note that surgery to remove the sixth finger is necessary no earlier than the child reaches 12 months. Older children tolerate anesthesia better and recover from it more easily. But there is also no need to delay intervention, since over time the child himself will begin to understand his own peculiarity, and complexes and psychological disorders may arise.

After your child reaches a certain age, you should contact a practicing pediatric surgeon, who will set a day for surgery for you. But first you will have to undergo a series of examinations. It is necessary to obtain an opinion from the following specialists:

• Neuropathologist;
• Therapist;
• Cardiologist.

It is also necessary to undergo such diagnostics

• X-ray of a finger;
• Ultrasound of the heart;
• Doppler;
• Analysis of urine;
• Stool analysis;
• Detailed blood test from a finger vein.

These are the main stages of preparation for surgery. Your doctor may prescribe additional tests, depending on the specific case and the characteristics of the baby. If there are several additional fingers, you will have to adjust to several operations.

It is important to note that surgical intervention can only be carried out against the background of absolute health. Cough, runny nose and any other ailments are completely unacceptable. Since only an absolutely healthy child will be able to fully undergo the operation without complications.

Surgery and postoperative period

If there is such a possibility, it is better to schedule the operation in the morning, since the child cannot be fed or even given anything to drink for 6 hours before the procedure. Typically this operation takes about an hour. The surgeon will remove the extra finger, fix the limb with a small pin and apply a plaster backing to secure the fixation.

You will have to stay in the hospital for at least 2 weeks under the close supervision of specialists. The baby will be bandaged in 2-3 days. Special procedures will also be prescribed to relieve swelling and promote tissue healing. After a month, the child can take out a needle (this is a painless procedure, akin to removing an earring from an ear) and remove the plaster. After this, you will have to take another x-ray to make sure that the bones are in order.

After this, you need to visit a specialist several times. He will monitor the development of the “neighboring” finger, assign special gymnastics for the limbs and ointment to remove the post-operative scar. After the procedure, you will be able to completely forget about your baby’s peculiarity.

Six fingers are not four. You can get rid of this pathology and forget about the problem forever. The main thing is not to despair, not to feel sorry for the baby, in order to raise a self-confident child.