In my impression, from the very first time I saw this child in the outpatient clinic to the day the pins were removed, he never cried even once - a very calm and emotionally stable baby.
He had an extra thumb on his right hand, and it was to deviation. The two thumbs together looked like a "wrench," which is actually a type IV polydactyly.
First visit
The mother wanted the surgery done early because the baby's fingers were already quite deviation, and she was worried that delaying too long might affect hand development.
For children with this condition, the mother's concern was completely right. In this type of deformity, even after removing the extra outer thumb, if no further adjustment is made, the remaining thumb might still gradually bend sideways. Therefore, it's best for such surgeries to be performed early - and performed properly.
corrected through osteotomy
The baby was still small at 4 months old. Once he turned 6 months and weighed over 6 kilograms, with overall good health, surgery could be safely performed.
During the surgery, an osteotomy of the right hand was required. Simply removing the extra thumb is not enough. After removal, multiple steps must be taken - repairing the collateral ligaments, joint capsule, and tendons - but most importantly, the thumb joint must be adjusted. A small piece of bone can be taken from the removed extra finger and used to fill the osteotomy site, providing better joint stability.
This is why it's best to complete polydactyly surgery in a single operation - because the extra finger's bone can be reused for grafting. If the surgery were divided into two stages, the results would not be as good.
Preoperative X-ray
After surgery, Kirschner wires are used for fixation, and later, a brace helps keep the thumb stable as it heals and grows naturally.
The mother was a bit nervous about anesthesia, worrying that general anesthesia might harm her baby.
First visit
In fact, there are many types of medical anesthesia. For children, we use a combination of general and local anesthesia. It's not as frightening as parents imagine.
The baby is first given a small amount of medication through an endotracheal tube to fall asleep, and then a local anesthetic is applied to the surgical area. After surgery, almost no anesthetic remains in the child's body, so it doesn't affect intelligence or development.
The mother was also concerned about rehabilitation, which is a very important topic. Since the child's deformity is a special structural type, postoperative brace and functional exercises are crucial.
If the baby doesn't actively move his fingers, the joints will become stiff and less flexible. The less he uses his right hand, the more he will avoid it - leading to a vicious cycle, which defeats the purpose of the surgery.
Natural, comfortable, and beautiful thumb
After the surgery, the parents diligently kept the baby's brace on every day. During follow-up visits, it was clear they were doing an excellent job. The "wrench-like" shape was gone - the thumb was straight, movement was good, and touching the thumb didn't make the baby cry. That's perfect - it means he can continue to cooperate with exercises.
Two months after surgery
Two months after surgery
Two months after the operation, the results were impressive. The thumb looked natural and comfortable. The parents did a great job, though they sometimes doubted themselves or worried whether everything was progressing normally.
This is very common. For us doctors, the surgery doesn't end when the child leaves the hospital. Postoperative care - including functional exercises, brace wearing, and scar treatment - is like an "invisible surgery."
Only this time, the "surgeon" is the parent. So, parents need to be attentive and patient. If you're unsure about anything, communicate with your doctor in time - let's work together to help your child recover beautifully!