"I haven't figured out the reason for my child's hand problem yet."
My mother walked into my clinic with the little girl. This little girl was already a big child. She didn't sit on her mother's lap. As soon as she left, When he came in, he obediently put his two hands in front of me. The child's left hand had a very obvious floating thumb, which was basically close to type 4 based on Petey's condition. The right thumb was also a typical dysplasia.
How is the floating thumb formed?
Floating thumb is a relatively serious thumb dysplasia. The clinical manifestation of floating thumb is that only one skin is connected to the palm, which looks very fragile and ready to fall off at any time. The function of the thumb is missing. Floating thumb is rare, and its causative factors are not yet clear. The causative factors can only be said to be related to the mother's physical condition during pregnancy, such as malnutrition during pregnancy, lack of vitamins, or colds and fevers. In addition, the history of taking various drugs, the history of exposure to chemical factors, physical factors, such as formaldehyde , etc., as well as the history of exposure to radiation, smoking and second-hand smoke may cause children to develop floating thumbs.
I have consulted doctors everywhere, but could not find a suitable treatment method.
The mother said that they came from Anhui and took their child to see a doctor when he was very young. At that time, no suitable method was found, and there were only two treatment methods. .
Thumbing of the index finger: This is the initial treatment plan for floating thumb, which is to cut off the thumb directly and move the index finger to the thumb position to use it as a thumb. Although this method can allow the child to have thumb function, the child will only have four fingers permanently. , which is difficult for most parents to accept.
Metatarsal reconstruction: Part of the metatarsal bone is taken from the foot to reconstruct the first metacarpal bone, but this surgery has certain disadvantages. Because the bone is removed from the foot, obvious scars will be left on the foot after surgery. Moreover, whether it is free bone grafting or anastomotic vascular bone grafting, there is a certain chance of bone resorption and necrosis, which is difficult for parents to accept. After the operation, the children will not be able to go to the ground for 3 or 4 months and can only lie down or sit. The care will be more cumbersome.
So they are always looking for better treatments.
How to preserve the five fingers of floating thumb?
The mother of the child said that she only hopes to save her child's five fingers and hopes that there is a better way to prevent the child from suffering. She feels very distressed because of her hands.
The best treatment time for floating thumb surgery is about 6-12 months, which is the best period for children to establish thumb function. Early correction is conducive to the establishment of children's thumb function.
Currently, I am using hemimetacarpal bone graft reconstruction. The surgery is only performed on the child's hands. There will be no other wounds. The postoperative scars are also small, and the appearance will be more beautiful in the future. And this time also happens to be the time when the child's thumb function is established.
shared a group of cases of floating thumb and five fingers. The postoperative appearance is no different from that of normal people. Parents are also very satisfied with the surgical effect. Later, through the child's functional exercise, the thumb function is getting better and better, and the child can also learn to write normally.
My name is Chen Jianghai from the Department of Hand Surgery of Union Medical College. Regarding the problem of hand and foot deformities, you can comment or leave a message.
