Syndactyly (webbed Fingers or Toes) Treatment
Best hospitals and doctors for syndactyly (webbed fingers or toes) treatment abroad
Leading hospitals
Cost for treatment
University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hand Surgery
University Hospital Erlangen
Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Adult and Pediatric Hand Surgery
University Hospital RWTH Aachen
Department of Plastic, Burn Surgery and Hand Surgery
University Hospital Jena
Department of Adult and Pediatric Oral, Maxillofacial, Plastic Surgery
University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich
Department of Adult and Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery
University Hospital Bonn
Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery
HELIOS University Hospital Wuppertal
Department of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Adult and Pediatric Hand Surgery, Reconstructive Burn Surgery
University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf
Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
University Hospital Giessen UKGM
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Plastic Surgery
Charite University Hospital Berlin
Department of Adult and Pediatric Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery
University Hospital Duesseldorf
Department of Adult and Pediatric Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery and Facial Plastic Surgery
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
Department of Plastic Surgery
Medicana International Ankara Hospital
Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery
Medicana International Istanbul Hospital
Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery
Hospital Bogenhausen Munich
Department of Adult and Pediatric Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery, Hand Surgery, Burn Surgery
In some cases of Syndactyly, fingers also become connected by bones as well as by webbed skin. According to American website Healthline, 1 baby out of 2,000-3,000 is born with this condition. Syndactyly is most common in Caucasian baby boys.
Usually, a baby forms fingers and toes during the sixth or seventh week of prenatal development. This does not happen in cases of syndactyly. It can occur if a child has a genetic predisposition. In some cases, it is caused by such genetic defects as Down syndrome.
In most cases, webbing develops between the second and third finger. It can occur with other defects of the skull and bones. Very rarely, a patient can have the condition known as polysyndactyly, where there is an extra number of fingers or toes.
In 50% of syndactyly cases, both hands are affected.
Syndactyly symptoms can be picked up during an ultrasound, which is usually conducted during the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy when the fetus’s hands and feet are distinctly delineated in the image. Webbed fingers are usually the only symptom of this disease, however in some cases it can also indicate other abnormalities.
Diagnosis is usually confirmed after the baby’s birth during general inspection. In order to check for other abnormalities, the doctor can also arrange for:
- A blood test, to see if everything is alright with the amount of white and red blood cells.
- An X-Ray, which can determine whether there are any signs of bone and tissue problems that cause syndactyly.
Surgical intervention is usually the only treatment possible for this condition. It is vital that the surgery is performed at a point in the child’s life when the connected tissue is most likely to be separated effectively. Each case is highly individual, but it is usually best for surgery to be performed when the child is around 1 or 2 years old, when there is less likelihood of complications due to the anesthetic. The doctor will observe the child and make an assessment of when the best time for surgical intervention is.
Plastic separation surgery is currently the most effective type of surgery for this condition. It is usually conducted under general anesthetic. The webbing is split evenly and, if needed, a skin graft is used to cover some areas.
After surgery, the patient needs to wear a cast for 2-3 weeks to completely recover.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko