Father: Can his finger really be separated into two?
Me: Yes, it can.
Father: Really? That's wonderful, wonderful!
Me: Yes, and once separated, your child's hand function will improve.
As a doctor, every time I face parents filled with both hope and anxiety, I feel the weight of responsibility deeply.
This time, the patient was a baby with bony syndactyly-the middle and ring fingers had fused into one and couldn't bend or straighten.
Before the surgery
For this kind of case, I recommend separation
The child's finger joints were fused, restricting movement.
If we don't separate them, the thick "merged" finger will always have limited function.
But through surgery, we can separate the bones and release the joint "locks."
Although the innate condition means full function can't be achieved, the ability to flex and extend will greatly improve.
In simple terms:
Without separation: 4 fingers → limited function
With separation: 5 fingers → improved function
However, there's something to be cautious about:
After separating bony syndactyly, bone exposure is unavoidable. Traditional skin grafting is like laying turf on concrete-it rarely survives.
So we use artificial dermis to cover the wound. It guides tissue regeneration and avoids secondary trauma from harvesting skin elsewhere on the child's body.
Surgery is only the first step. Postoperative care is equally crucial.
It usually takes 6–8 weeks for such wounds to heal completely.
During this period, parents must bring their child for dressing changes every 2–3 days to ensure healing is monitored and stable.
8 months after surgery
Consistency and careful follow-up are what guarantee a good recovery.
Now, 9 months after surgery, the child has grown and begun expressing himself. The scars on his hand fade day by day, and more importantly, the worried expressions on his parents' faces have disappeared.
8 months after surgery
I think this is what makes all our efforts worthwhile.