Macrodactyly is a congenital mutational disorder called bigfingeredness . This disease causes the baby's fingers and toes to be abnormally large due to the growth of the underlying bone and soft tissue. The cause of this rare disorder is not yet known.
Congenital 'Macrodactyly' (having one or more fingers or toes that are too big) is a rare disorder. It is the result of certain parts of the body growing larger than others. It is not yet clear which genes are mutated to cause this disorder, which is mostly congenital.
What are the Symptoms of Macrodactyly?
Macrodactyly is generally a benign condition, but it can lead to deformities of the feet or hands that affect appearance and function.
The fingers, which are normally large, grow on a par with the rest of the hand and foot, but when it is progressive, the fingers grow faster than the rest of the hand and foot.
The affected fingers are about one and a half times the length and width of the other fingers. In progressive cases, the affected fingers can become large.
Which fingers are most affected?
In general, the finger most affected by macrodactyly is the index finger, followed by the middle finger and thumb. After them come the ring finger and the little finger. Multiple fingers are 2-3 times more likely to have macrodactyly simultaneously than a single finger.
How is macrodactyly treated?
The child may be asked for tests such as X-rays or MRIs to confirm the type of big-toedness and to determine which tissues are affected. The goal of treatment is to help the affected fingers or toes to function as much as possible. In some cases, only observation or a modified shoe is needed. In many cases, big toe can be corrected surgically.
Depending on the child's affected condition, surgical procedures include shortening, soft tissue thinning or partial amputation of the metacarpal bone, referred to as ray amputation. The aim here is to maintain the functionality of the fingers or toes after providing functional and cosmetic improvement and to obtain a hand or foot close to normal so that the child does not shy away from his/her social environment. The treatment may take more than one session, several more sessions may be required and parents need to be patient.