Objective features and aesthetic outcome of pollicized digits compared with normal thumbs

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Hand Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Thumb hypoplasia and absence present significant functional and aesthetic challenges.
• Pollicization, a reconstructive procedure, aims to restore thumb function and appearance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively measure the physical characteristics of pollicized digits.
• To subjectively assess the aesthetic outcomes of pollicization compared to normal thumbs.

Main Methods:

• Objective measurements of length, girth, and nail width of 31 pollicized digits.
• Subjective aesthetic evaluation using Visual Analog Scales (VAS) by surgeons, therapists, and caregivers.
• Statistical comparison with age-matched normal thumb data.

Main Results:

• Pollicized digits showed increased relative length (90%) compared to normal thumbs (71%).
• Reduced relative girth (92%) and nail width (96%) were observed in pollicized digits versus normal thumbs (132% and 104%, respectively).
• Caregivers, surgeons, and therapists reported aesthetic concerns including narrow girth, angulation, and excess length.

Conclusions:

• Pollicized digits exhibit distinct objective differences from normal thumbs, notably increased length and decreased girth and nail width.
• Reduced girth, excess length, and angulation are the primary aesthetic deviations identified post-pollicization.