I am sharing a few photographs from a patient with a particularly challenging form of radial longitudinal deficiency (RLD) because several important points are shown nicely. There is such a dramatic difference between the surgically treated left side and the right side before surgery. There is a great deal of deformity on the right side and […]
Tag: upper extremity
Clinodactyly Part II, Osteotomy
This is a follow up to my recent post on clinodactyly which included a description of treatment of the bracketed epiphysis in the younger patient. When the patient is older, there is less chance of correction through growth (or no chance if the growth plates are closed (typically around 12 years of age). In these […]
Clinodactyly (crooked finger)
In the last few weeks, we have discussed a bent (flexed) finger or camptodactyly and a stiff finger (symphalangism). In the post, I will review a crooked finger or clinodactyly. There are a large number of different presentations of clinodactyly but the most common, by far, is a deviated little finger. It most commonly present […]
Camptodactyly (bent finger)
Camptodactyly is a condition that may present in infancy or in adolescence. The PIP joint (see below) does not straighten for a variety of different reasons. It can be very different from patient to patient. It can involve one finger or multiple fingers. It can be a nuisance or can fundamentally interfere with function. My […]
Hand Society (ASSH) 2023 Travels
The ASSH Annual Meeting was in Toronto this year. As usual, it was a fabulous meeting and its always great to connect with friends from across North America and the world. There were very good pediatric sessions throughout the week! We had a fantastic Pediatric Hand Study Group (PHSG) meeting. The group continues to grow with a goal […]
Mirror Hand, The Elbow & Ulnar Dimelia
Mirror hand, or ulnar dimelia as it is technically known, is one of the most striking birth differences of the upper extremity (there is also a lower extremity similar condition). There is a duplication of the ulnar half of the forearm and hand. This can present in the hand only (with a normal forearm) or […]
Cleft Hand vs Symbrachydactyly, Cleft Type
Both cleft hand and symbrachydactyly may present in different ways, which can make it difficult sometimes to understand the difference. Symbrachydactyly presents in 4 types for the hand: cleft type (the point of this post), monodactyly type (only a thumb), short finger type, and peromelic (just nubbins). I have previously posted about symbrachydactyly here, here, […]
Travels: World Pediatric Project, Barbados
WPP The WPP is a wonderful organization that I have worked with for more than 15 years. Based on Richmond, Virginia and Saint Louis, Missouri, it is focused on the global health of kids in many areas including orthopedic surgery. When I first became affiliated, kids with major orthopedic issues came to St Louis for […]
Understanding the Specifics of Upper Extremity Birth Differences, Part 2
It has been far too long since my post on the “Why” of Birth Differences. I apologize and I know at least some of you have been awaiting this post. No excuses but I am now on a new platform and the transition took time. This is Part 2 in which I will review some of the […]