Health Encyclopedia

Repair of webbed fingers or toes

Definition

Repair of webbed fingers or toes is done by surgery. The condition can affect toes, fingers, or both. The middle and ring fingers or the second and third toes are most often affected.

Simple webbing of fingers or toes involves only the skin and other soft tissues. The condition is complicated when it involves fused bones, nerves, blood vessels, and tendons. Generally, the repairs are done between the ages of 6 months and 2 years.

Alternative Names

Web finger repair; Web toe repair; Syndactyly repair

Description

General anesthesia is used (the patient is asleep and pain-free). Doctors mark the skin areas that need repair. The skin is cut. Small flaps in the web, and at the sides of the fingers or toes, are lifted up. These flaps are sewn into position, leaving missing areas of skin. These areas may be filled in with skin taken from the groin area, if necessary. The hand or foot is then wrapped with a bulky dressings or a cast, so that it cannot move.

How complicated the surgery is depends on whether the condition involves just skin, or whether other soft tissues and bones are involved.

Indications

This surgery is advised if the webbing causes appearance problems, or if it causes problems in using the fingers or toes.

Risks

Risks for any anesthesia include the following:

Reactions to medications
Problems breathing

Risks for any surgery include the following:

Bleeding
Infection

Other possible complications include the following:

Loss of skin grafts
Damage from not getting enough blood in the hand or foot, due to the cast

Call your doctor if you notice the following:

Swelling
Severe pain
Fever
Fingers that tingle, are numb, or have a bluish tinge

Expectations after surgery

The repair is usually successful. When joined fingers share a single fingernail, the creation of two normal-looking nails is rarely possible. One nail will look more normal than the other. Some children require a second surgery, depending on how complicated the webbing is.

Convalescence

Hospital stays of 1-2 days are common.

Sometimes the cast extends beyond the fingers or toes to protect the repaired area from injury. Small children who had webbed finger repair may need a cast that extends above the flexed elbow.

Review Date:11/2/2006
Reviewed By:Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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