Acknowledgment: We would like to recognize our friend and partner Douglas P. Hanel, MD, who was a coauthor on the sixth edition version of this chapter. His contributions to it, and to hand surgery in general, are innumerable, and we…
Synopsis ■ Thumb reconstruction should aim to restore the cardinal thumb actions: mobility, stability, sensibility, length, and appearance. ■ Level of thumb loss is divided into thirds: distal (tip to interphalangeal joint), middle (interphalangeal joint to metacarpal neck), and proximal…
Synopsis Cleft hand, or central longitudinal deficiency, is characterized by a V-shaped defect, absence of 1 or more central digits, syndactyly or other abnormalities of bordering digits, and a deficient first web space. Cleft hand is an autosomal-dominant condition with…
Synopsis Congenital transverse deficiency of the upper extremity is a rare but disabling condition in which all elements beyond a given level in the extremity are absent. The most common level is the proximal forearm, but it can occur at…