Surgical correction of wassel type 3 radial polydactyly: A case report

Abstract

Radial or preaxial polydactyly is a common congenital anomaly occurring sporadically that must be treated early. Thumb duplications are a failure of formation and/or differentiation affecting the radial-ulnar axis of the hand plate in which Wassel has described seven types. The aim of surgical reconstruction is to obtain a stable and mobile thumb of adequate size and appropriate shape with preservation the function of pinch and opposition, and reconstruction of all components in one procedure. The most common form of reconstruction is removal of the lesser digit and reconstruction of the dominant digit. Here, we present a case of a Wassel Type 3 thumb duplication which was surgically corrected.