Two-stage reconstruction of apert acrosyndactyly

This report retrospectively reviews presenting radiographs and surgical treatment of 28 hands in 14 children with Apert acrosyndactyly with the purpose of developing a classification system to describe the decision-making process used to determine the type and staging of hand reconstruction. The average patient age at last follow-up evaluation was 7 years (range, 3-17 years). Type I deformities (7 hands) had little or no angular deformity at the metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint; two-stage reconstruction created a four-fingered hand. Type IIA deformities (11 hands) had mild MP joint angular deformity and a more proximal complex syndactyly of the middle three digits; two-stage reconstruction created a three-fingered hand with ray resection of the third digit. Type IIB deformities (7 hands) had pronation of digit 2 superimposed on the thumb and radial angulation at the MP joint of digit 2; two-stage reconstruction created a three-fingered hand with ray resection of the second digit. Type IIC deformities (3 hands) had supination of digit 4 superimposed on digit 5 with ulnar angulation at the MP joint of digits 4 and 5; two-stage reconstruction created a three-fingered hand with ray resection of the fourth digit. This report presents a classification system and four different treatment strategies based on presenting radiographs.