Have you ever heard of people with “extra” fingers? Or maybe you saw them? Notes on children and adults who have six fingers or toes appear quite often. The Internet is replete with photographs of people with unusual limbs, and ordinary people tend to classify such a feature as a deformity or disease. Whether this congenital defect is so terrible can be understood only by learning the reasons for the appearance of extra fingers.

Polydactyly is the name given to a congenital anatomical anomaly that manifests itself as extra fingers on the feet or hands. Statistics say that out of every five thousand newborns, one has a deviation in the number of fingers, and this defect does not always manifest itself symmetrically.

Varieties of polydactyly

Congenital changes with this developmental anomaly can manifest themselves in several ways:

  1. If the bifurcation of the rudimentary structures of the phalanges occurs in the early stages of development, a full-sized and fully functional additional finger is formed.
  2. The appearance of rudimentary undeveloped processes on the outer or inner edge of the palm and foot.
  3. The bifurcation or appearance of processes on the fingers is also referred to as the phenomenon of polydactyly.

The situation when a person has fully functional six fingers on his hand (photo below) is rare. In India, such children are born more often than in other regions, so this sign is included as a separate item in police questionnaires. As a rule, the accessory phalanges cannot be operated on or even controlled in any way, and people with six fingers undergo corrective surgery.

Causes of polydactylism

Teratogenic effects chemical substances on the fetus (taking certain medications by a pregnant woman) can cause a disruption in the order of cell division and the formation of tissues and organs. In the case of congenital polydactyly, the rudiments of the digital phalanges are exposed to toxins.

The heredity factor, according to doctors, is the main reason for the appearance of extra fingers. Often in a family pedigree one can trace the inheritance of a given defect and its appearance through a generation or in a series of several generations in a row. The genes that cause polydactyly are dominant, which means they appear when they are present in the genotype. But it happens that due to incomplete penetrance, the defect still remains hidden.

Isolated polydactyly does not pose additional threats to the body, but polydactyly often manifests itself as part of complex gene or chromosomal disorders. Scientists know up to 120 syndromes, the sign of which is six fingers or more (Patau, Lawrence, Meckel syndromes).

Diagnosis of polydactyly in newborns

Immediately after birth, the baby is examined by a pediatrician or neonatologist. Therefore, when a child is born with six fingers or toes, the diagnosis is made immediately.

To determine treatment methods, the doctor needs to establish:

  1. The position of the additional finger of the hand, which can be preaxial (between the ring finger and little finger) or postaxial - behind the little finger.
  2. Nature of the pathology. With hereditary polydactyly, the accessory digit extends from the fifth and is quite well developed. If we are talking about a congenital defect, then the finger will be underdeveloped, in the form of one or several phalanges inside a skin protrusion.
  3. The presence of additional changes in the anatomy of the metacarpus or metatarsus, which may manifest itself in the form of additional bones, deformities of the joints, ligaments and tendons.
  4. Is polydactyly an independent anomaly or manifested itself as part of a syndrome. To do this, other symptoms are assessed and additional tests are ordered.

After this, a treatment method is selected. It involves the surgical removal of extra toes so that a child who has six toes or a deformed foot from birth can develop normally without feeling psychologically or physically impaired. The doctor determines at what age it is best to remove it, and whether plastic surgery will be needed to restore the aesthetic appearance of the limb.

Preparing for surgery

Features of the genesis of polydactyly affect the extent of surgical intervention. For example, a skin fold that is supplied by capillaries is easy to remove. And if six fingers on the hands are accompanied by corresponding changes in the metacarpus, then more than one operation will be required. And in cases where the “extra” fingers are fully functional, a decision may be made to leave everything as is.

When choosing a method for surgical treatment of polydactyly, doctors conduct several more studies:

  • radiography of the limb;
  • study of the blood supply to the accessory fingers.

There are cases when a large vessel feeds two partially separated fingers at once. Then removal without taking this feature into account can lead to subsequent blood supply disturbances.

When all studies are completed, surgery is performed. Sometimes it is preceded by therapeutic treatment, but such cases are rare. Usually the attending physician insists on treating polydactyly in early age, most operations are performed in the first month of a child’s life.

Delay only complicates the situation, because the bones and surrounding tissues in children grow quickly and experience a certain load. The earlier the plastic surgery is done, the fewer secondary deformations you will have to deal with.

What if you leave...

On the hands, especially if all the fingers are well developed and the hands are symmetrical, this feature will do little to hinder. Unless you have to order gloves from a tailor and catch curious glances.

There are mutations and birth defects that just give you goosebumps and are impossible to look at without feeling a pang in your chest. And there are those that one could even dream about at certain moments. This may seem stupid to some, but personally, I would love to be born with six fingers on each hand. I would even say that this is some kind of lucky mark. What's wrong with that? Those born with such an anomaly, unlike many others, do not suffer at all from their peculiarity. On the contrary, they attract everyone's attention and, as a rule, are happy in life. Most importantly, it does not cause inconvenience or problems. Moreover, the sixth finger is usually fully functional and helps to cope with ordinary tasks even better than those who only have five fingers on their hands.

Six-fingered people and animals are born so often that science has long coined a name for such a special mutation - polydactyly.

Polydactyly - polydactylism; comes from the Greek "daktylos" (finger); means any presence of extra digits on the limbs of humans and animals.

In general, there are not so few such lucky people on Earth. One of those whom I envy lives in the Krasnodar region. This is Robert Zavenovich Karapetyan, born on the fertile Armenian land on January 18, 1949. As soon as Robert was born, as was to be expected, he greatly frightened his parents with his harmless difference from others. However, they decided not to leave everything in the hands of fate and to get rid of the extra phalanges on their own. The very next day they were going to tightly bandage the baby's finger with thread so that it would dry out.

Fortunately for Robert, at night my mother had a dream in which the saints were told that they should not touch their finger. It may well be that the mother came up with the dream to convince her husband not to touch the boy. In general, they left him his chance to live with an unusual feature, perhaps thereby saving him from death, because it is unknown what could have ended with tying a finger with a thread

Supporting my opinion, Karapetyan considers his fingers to be a gift from God, of which he can only be proud. It should be noted that this anatomical feature did not at all prevent him from achieving success in a field where manual control plays a vital role - Robert Karapetyan is a highly qualified chef.

Perhaps God's gift in the form of additional fingers will also serve good sign for a baby recently born in Kamensk-Uralsk. Moreover, if this is God’s gift, a stunning future awaits the boy, because he has as many as 6 extra fingers on all extremities: one on his arms and two on his legs. True, his mother immediately abandoned him. Honestly, I can't understand it. If his fingers are fully capable, then how can they hinder those around him and himself? Is this an aesthetic ugliness? No. Not at all. He just has a little more fingers than necessary. It's the same as me considering myself a freak because I have several times more meat on my biceps than normal people. If these lines reach Kamensk-Uralsk, then I would be glad if the refusenik came to her senses and took her miracle back. He will only bring her happiness.

The most amazing story happened in 2004. Then, in the Lipetsk region, in just ten days, as many as four six-fingered children were born. Although some parents of these babies intend to have surgery on them in the future, if they have not already done so, I would ask them to wait until the children are at least 20 years old, when they can decide for themselves what they need and what they don’t. Of course, this can only be discussed if the extra fingers are functional, do not interfere and are aesthetically pleasing.

The fact that polydactyly is not at all a rare disease is proven by the fact that in addition to ordinary people, many celebrities and people who had a significant influence on the entire development of human history suffered from it. The most famous mutant with six toes on his left foot was Joseph Stalin, which few people know. That is why he was called not only Koba and Usatiy, but also Six-Fingered. This physical deviation obviously had a very strong influence on a man like Stalin. Similar psychological problems Even Marilyn Monroe, who had six toes on her right foot, and not on her left, like the ruler of the USSR, experienced a similar miracle. It turns out that one of the most attractive and odious figures of recent centuries gained his fame even despite such a rare disease. What is not proof that this cannot be a deformity?

Moreover, Dzhugashvili is not the only ruler who was lucky enough to have six fingers. The 16th century English queen Anne Boleyn also had six fingers, but right hand.

However, everything is good in moderation. Five fingers - just right. Six fingers - well, that's also normal. But when there is much more, this is no longer included in any framework. In August 2006, a little boy in China had to undergo surgery because nature had endowed him with too many tools necessary for life. He had 2 extra fingers on one hand, and 3 on the other, despite the fact that the legs were six-fingered. Naturally, in these cases it is necessary to perform an operation, but at the expense of more simple cases I doubt.

However, there may not always be more fingers than necessary. Sometimes there are fewer of them. This is especially bad when there is not enough thumb. I have seen such people in my life and their inconvenience really makes me feel sorry for them. It would seem that such a little thing is missing, but without it your whole life goes downhill.

Next we will talk about clawed feet, but in the context of this topic I would like to add that in an African village where ordinary people with two big toes live, sometimes the same ones are also born more common people, but with two fingers on his hands. Since such animals turn out to be not very viable, it is, as a rule, not very easy for them to leave offspring, and by now there are not so many of them. But it could have happened that all the people in this area would have had two fingers, both on their feet and on their hands.

And in the same Kamensk-Uralsk, in the fall of 2006, a girl was born who, not only had a total of 6 fingers formed on her hands, but only the thumb on her right hand turned out to be functional. In this case, surgeons have to work hard. Let's hope they can make it easier to accommodate the little ones. In any case, her parents did not abandon her, for which they deserve respect.

Almost always in such cases we can only rely on surgeons. One day they had to perform a unique operation. Several years ago, a boy was born in Sevastopol whose right hand had no fingers at all, except for the metacarpal bone - the base of the thumb. Praise to St. Petersburg surgeon Sergei Golyan, head. Department of Hand Surgery at the Turnev St. Petersburg Children's Orthopedic Institute, which was able to perform a truly unique operation.

Sergei Golyan decided to transplant his toes onto his hand and lengthen the metacarpal bone. Everything went well and now the boy has an almost normal hand, to which the second and third toes of his right foot were attached and the fourth and fifth toes of his left.

However, not everyone is as lucky as the boy and Sevastopol. Not only are many unable to meet such outstanding surgeons, but they may not even have a single finger on either hand.

– 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 opacity, auricular deformation, cleft lip and palate, polydactyly, oligophrenia, defects internal organs(heart, blood vessels, spleen, pancreas, kidneys).

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 a 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 assess 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. For polydactyly associated with chromosomal and gene syndromes, prenatal diagnosis (obstetric ultrasound, amniocentesis or chorionic villus biopsy with fetal karyotyping) is of particular importance. 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 surgery, 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).

The family of 50-year-old Krishna Choudhary from the village of Gaya in northern India is different from all their neighbors and friends. Each of the 25 members of the family has 6 fingers and toes.
Some family members call it a gift from God, some call it a curse. But both of them face a lot of problems due to extra fingers.

There are 25 people in the Choudhari family - and each of them has 24 fingers. Because of this, girls from the Chudhari family cannot get married - potential grooms do not like this strange feature.

Krishna himself was never bothered by his condition, but the difficulties faced by his children upset him.

“My grandfather had 24 fingers,” says Krishna. - My father also has 24 fingers. My brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren have the same story.”

Krishna, who has worked as a daily wage laborer all his life, believes that there is nothing wrong with their family peculiarities. But others think differently. “I’ve never had any problems with extra fingers,” says Krishna. “But they cause a lot of trouble for my children and grandchildren.” Many guys refuse to marry girls from our family after learning about their peculiarities. My daughter has already been abandoned by four suitors as soon as they found out that she had more fingers than others. I don’t know what scares them so much, but I think it’s just terrible.”

Krishna's family is famous throughout the village. They are called that way - “the family with 24 fingers.”

11-year-old Raju Choudhary, 10-year-old Pintu Choudhary, 10-year-old Pawan Choudhary and 14-year-old Sunny Choudhary show off their extra fingers to reporters without embarrassment.


Krishna's daughter-in-law, Sitbiya Choudhary, considers the extra fingers a blessing from God, while the rest of the family views them more as a curse.

“I believe that God blessed our family this way,” says Sitbia. - Otherwise it is impossible to explain why all family members have extra fingers. I think God wants to convey some message to us with this.”


Krishna's only complaint is that it is difficult for him to find comfortable shoes for himself and his children, and therefore they always have to wear flip-flops. “It’s very difficult for us to find shoes,” he complains. - They all fit awkwardly, so we wear flip-flops. We simply have no other choice: we cannot afford to sew shoes to order.”

The Choudhary family also has other problems. So, it is difficult for boys to study at school - with six fingers it is very inconvenient to hold a pen and pencil. Girls, in turn, cannot count on a good match. One-year-old Manisha Chudhary is the youngest in the family, but her parents are already thinking with concern about what her fate will be like: after all, the girl has inherited a family trait.

Dr Ayaush Gupta, associate professor in the department of dermatology at Patil Medical College in Pune, India, says: “This condition is called polydactyly, or polydactyly. It is caused by a genetic defect that causes a person to develop extra fingers.”

"Usually, extra fingers don't cause many physical problems," says Dr. Gupta. “But they can cause a lot of psychological suffering. They can be removed surgically, but the operation will be expensive.”

Congenital anatomical abnormalities of the fingers; in medical practice, such a pathology is extremely rare and is called polydactyly. Statistics indicate that 1 in 5 thousand babies are born with 6 fingers. In this case, after diagnosis and necessary research, surgical removal of the extra finger is performed.

Features and causes of pathology

Modern medicine knows several forms of polydactyly, but the most common localization of the appearance of an additional limb is the area of ​​the little finger and thumb. It is characteristic that an additional (6) finger can appear on one limb or on both.

There are several causes of polydactyly:

  • geneticists claim that the formation of extra fingers occurs from 5 to 8 weeks of pregnancy, when an increase in mesodermal cells is observed;
  • there is another theory about six-fingered as a result bad habits mothers during pregnancy, especially smoking. In addition, such anomalies can be provoked by severe stress in the first 3 months of pregnancy, at the stage of formation of fetal organs and systems;
  • Polydactyly is possible with Patau syndrome (trisomy), in which one extra chromosome is determined in the human genome. In this case, there is a violation of the development of all organs;
  • Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome is also accompanied by similar finger anomalies. In this case, the patient experiences deformation of the craniofacial bones and duplication of the fingers or their terminal phalanges;
  • extremely rarely, the cause of six-fingeredness can be a genetic disease classified as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, in which serious pathologies of the endocrine system are observed.

In addition, each type of polydactyly has certain pathological features, for example, in some cases the finger does not have a bone base and hangs on a thin strip of skin. In this case, the tumor is removed painlessly for the baby in the maternity hospital. However, in cases where bone formation is present, more serious surgical intervention and a number of preliminary diagnostic measures are required.

Polydactyly in children

In children, there are several forms of polydactyly (preaxial and postaxial), directly dependent on the location of the tumor. With postaxial, the sixth finger is located behind the little finger, while with preaxial, it is in front of the little finger. If the extra finger on the hand is sufficiently well developed and connected to the 5th metacarpal bone, we can talk about hereditary transmission of the anomaly.


Preaxial polydactyly

Often in childhood There are pathological growths in the foot area. In this case, the pathology is characterized by an increase in the number of fingers, metatarsal bones or phalanges. This condition may be accompanied by deformation of the joint, bones and tendon ligaments. The greatest progression is observed when the baby is actively growing, which significantly complicates further treatment and increases the rehabilitation period.

As a rule, an abnormal neoplasm is determined visually by a pediatrician or neonatologist immediately after the birth of the baby, however, removal of a toe or hand requires additional examination, which includes:

  • clarification of localization (preaxial or postaxial);
  • the nature of the pathological formation (with hereditary transmission, the additional finger is quite well developed, in contrast to a congenital defect, when the finger is formed in the form of 1 or several intradermal protrusions);
  • the presence of additional anatomical disorders and deformations in the joint area;
  • To determine the independence of the anomaly, all characteristic signs are assessed.

At the final stage, the doctor selects the necessary treatment tactics, which includes not only excision of the extra finger, but rehabilitation care for children, ensuring sufficient good care, and, if necessary, further plastic surgery.

It should be borne in mind that in the absence of timely medical intervention, children may seriously suffer from mental health, manifested by an inferiority complex and limited physical development.

Preoperative diagnosis

As a rule, removal of the 6th finger is performed at an early age, which is due to the elasticity of the bone tissue and the possibility of rapid remodeling and regeneration. In addition, in childhood, blood circulation and neuromuscular functions are restored quite well.


For all types of polydactyly, a preliminary x-ray examination is used to more accurately determine the characteristic changes in bone tissue and various options for connecting the sixth finger with the phalanges

In addition to radiography, it is used traditional way determining the risks of circulatory disorders during surgery. To do this, a tourniquet is applied to the base of the excised finger for a few seconds. If there is a sharp blanching of the main finger, which does not disappear for a long time, it means that these areas are connected by common blood vessels.

Sometimes an extra toe on the feet or hands can indicate serious pathological disorders in the baby’s body, so mandatory examination and preparatory measures are required before the operation. This is important because the characteristics of the course and development of the pathology directly affect the amount of surgical intervention required.

Removing a skin fold supplied by capillaries is quite simple, but in cases where all fingers, including the sixth, are accompanied by similar symptoms, repeated operations may be necessary.

In adult patients, there are cases of blood supply to the vessel of 2 partially separated fingers at once, so surgeons recommend excision of neoplasms in the first 2-3 months of the baby’s life, while the bone tissue is not yet sufficiently formed. In especially severe cases, as well as when maintaining full functionality of all fingers, the doctor may decide that surgical intervention is inappropriate.

In most cases, taking into account the results of preliminary diagnosis and the general condition of the patient's severity, the outcome of surgical intervention is favorable.

The choice of method for removing polydactyly is based on several factors: congenital defect of the foot or hand, the age category of the patient and concomitant pathological disorders in the fingers or metatarsus.


The operation is performed under completely sterile conditions by specialists with extensive practical experience in surgery.

In complicated forms of polydactyly, not only removal of the extra finger is required, but also further reconstruction with subsequent restoration of the tendon-muscular and osteoarticular apparatus. In addition, if the operation is untimely, secondary deformations may develop, which provides for a number of associated complications.

During foot surgery, the extra toe can be removed in the central part (from the inner or outer edge). Such anomalies involve the removal or excision of the 7th and 2nd rays on the foot if there are protrusions of the sphenoid bone and cuboid edge on it.

To perform this type of operation, no lengthy preparation is required; standard diagnostics and results are sufficient. laboratory research.

As a rule, operations are scheduled for the first half of the day, since 6 hours before the procedure a person should not drink or eat, which is due to the use of anesthesia during the operation. The duration of the procedure is from 45 minutes to 1 hour. After removing the extra finger, the surgeon fixes the operated limb using a special knitting needle, followed by applying a plaster cast.

It should be borne in mind that any surgical intervention is permissible only against the background of the patient’s absolute health. Even the slightest signs of acute respiratory viral infection (mild malaise and coughing) are a contraindication for the procedure, since there is a high risk of postoperative complications.


Postoperative wound for removing an extra finger

Rehabilitation period

Hospitalization of the patient involves his stay under the supervision of doctors for at least 14-15 days with periodic dressings of the operated area (once every 2 days). In addition, a number of physiotherapeutic measures are prescribed to relieve swelling, hematoma and accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues.

After 1 month, the wire and plaster are removed, the doctor prescribes a control x-ray examination to confirm the integrity of the bone tissue and the formation of callus. Next, a visit to a specialist is scheduled 1-2 times during the first month after discharge from the hospital. This is necessary so that the surgeon can promptly identify the possible formation of scar tissue in a newborn baby and prescribe appropriate treatment (gymnastics, ointments, gels, etc.)

In most cases, the operation and rehabilitation period proceed well, however, the older the patient’s age, the higher the percentage of various types of complications and the longer the rehabilitation period. All patients with congenital anomalies, including six-fingered teeth, are subject to mandatory dispensary observation. It is especially important to monitor the condition of children, as their bones continue to grow. With timely assistance, the prognosis for complete restoration of joint functionality and the absence of complications is favorable.