Soft tissue reconstruction for type IV-D duplicated thumb: a new surgical technique

J Pediatr Orthop. 2007 Jun;27(4):462-6. doi: 10.1097/01.bpb.0000271315.80374.68.

Abstract

Type IV-D duplicated thumb has the most complex anomalies and difficulties for treatment among polydatyly. Double osteotomy is usually recommended to gain the best cosmetic and functional outcome. However, 4 cases of type IV-D duplicated thumb were treated only by soft tissue procedure in this study. At operation, a conjoined A2 pulley was routinely identified, and the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) was found bifurcated distal to the conjoined pulley in every of these cases. Instead of double osteotomy, a soft tissue procedure that included centralization of FPL and A2 pulley reconstruction was pursued to correct these special anomalies. The overall clinical results were evaluated by a modification of the Tada scoring system based on the range of motion, joint stability, alignment of the remaining thumb, and subjective opinion regarding the reconstructed thumb after an average follow-up of 3.3 years (range, 2.5-4.7 years). According to the scoring system, the results were rated as good in 3 cases and fair in 1 case. From the results, the A2 pulley reconstruction and FPL centralization could prove to be an effective method for the treatment of type IV-D duplicated thumb and could efficiently avoid the residual angular deformities. Therefore, we recommend this soft tissue procedure as an alternative surgical technique to the double-osteotomy procedure for treating a type IV-D duplicated thumb in a very young child, whose bone is still not mature enough for holding the fixing pins.

MeSH terms

  • Dermatologic Surgical Procedures*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Ligaments, Articular / surgery*
  • Male
  • Metacarpophalangeal Joint / abnormalities
  • Metacarpophalangeal Joint / physiopathology
  • Metacarpophalangeal Joint / surgery
  • Muscle, Skeletal / surgery*
  • Orthopedic Procedures / methods*
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods*
  • Polydactyly / diagnostic imaging
  • Polydactyly / physiopathology
  • Polydactyly / surgery*
  • Radiography
  • Range of Motion, Articular
  • Thumb / abnormalities*
  • Thumb / diagnostic imaging
  • Thumb / surgery
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome