Rehabilitation of the pediatric upper extremity congenital part II-polydactyly

Polydactyly, defined by the presence of greater than five digits on one limb, is one of the most common congenital anomalies treated by pediatric specialists. It can be defined by the location of the duplicated digits into preaxial (i.e., radial), postaxial (i.e., ulnar), or central. The most common type, preaxial polydactyly, occurs in approximately 1 out of every 3000-10, 000 live births. It is most often unilateral and demonstrates a sporadic inheritance pattern. Surgical management can range from suture ligation or excision alone to more complicated reconstructive procedures. Hand therapy is an integral part of postoperative. This chapter aims to improve the reader’s understanding of this condition including the etiology, genetics, workup, and management-both surgical and therapeutic.