A Case of Postaxial Polydactyly Managed Under Local Anesthesia

Cureus. 2024 Jul 15;16(7):e64626. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64626. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Polydactyly is a common occurrence, observed as the presence of extra digit/s in the hands and feet. It can be categorized into preaxial, postaxial, and mesoaxial forms based on the location of the additional digit. In most instances only a single extra digit is present, research reports with more than one extra digit have been published. Most common management includes surgical excision under the influence of general anesthesia. An alternative approach by removing the pre-axial and post-axial supernumerary digit is carried out under local anesthesia in infants and small children, providing the additional benefit of fewer post-procedural complications. This is a case of a 5-month-old male child, with post-axial polydactyly of the left hand. He was managed by excision of the extra digit under the influence of local anesthesia. The patient recovered well and was discharged 3 days after the procedure with the advice of monthly follow-up until 3 months.

Keywords: extra digit of the hands; local anesthesia; non-syndromic polydactyly; post axial polydactyly; supernumerary digits; syndromic polydactyly.

Publication types

  • Case Reports