A 10-year experience with the surgical treatment of radial polydactyly.

PURPOSE Authors' clinical and surgical experience in correction of the radial polydactyly in its various degrees of severity is presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS Nineteen patients were operated due to thumb duplication in a 10-year period from 1996 to 2006. The cases were classified according to Wassel 7-type classification. The surgical techniques adopted were the Bilhaut-Cloquet and the method of exclusion of the more hypoplasic thumb with preservation of the more functional and aesthetic one. RESULTS In 95% of the cases, the performed procedures meant to sacrifice the finger that was more hypoplastic and to preserve the more functional and aesthetic finger. The Bilhaut-Cloquet procedure was utilized only in one case. DISCUSSION A correct preoperative evaluation has to be performed in order to assess the osseo-muscular, articular and neurovascular properties of the duplicated fingers. The type of the deformity, type of the selected treatment procedure, and the surgical experience of the surgeon are factors contributing to the high satisfaction rate after surgery.