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The varied signs and symptoms of Duane-radial ray syndrome often overlap with features of other disorders.
- For example, acro-renal-ocular syndrome is characterized by Duane anomaly and other eye abnormalities, radial ray malformations, and kidney defects. Both conditions can be caused by mutations in the same gene. Based on these similarities, researchers are investigating whether Duane-radial ray syndrome and acro-renal-ocular syndrome are separate disorders or part of a single syndrome with many possible signs and symptoms.
- The features of Duane-radial ray syndrome also overlap with those of a condition called Holt-Oram syndrome; however, these two disorders are caused by mutations in different genes.
There is currently recruitment for a clinical trial at Boston's Children Hospital.
Surgical correction is recommended when a constriction ring results in a limb contour deformity, with or without lymphedema.
The complete or partial absence of the pectoralis muscle is the malformation that defines Poland Syndrome. It can be treated by inserting a custom implant designed by CAD (computer aided design). A 3D reconstruction of the patient's chest is performed from a medical scanner to design a virtual implant perfectly adapted to the anatomy of each one. The implant is made of medical silicone unbreakable rubber. This treatment is purely cosmetic and does not make up for the patient's imbalanced upper body strength.
The Poland syndrome malformations being morphological, correction by custom implant is a first-line treatment. This technique allows a wide variety of patients to be treated with good outcomes. Poland Syndrome can be associated with bones, subcutaneous and mammary atrophy: if the first, as for pectus excavatum, is successfully corrected by a custom implant, the others can require surgical intervention such as lipofilling or silicone breast implant, in a second operation.
Treatment is only necessary if the degree of curvature is sufficient to cause disability or if it causes emotional distress. Splinting does not routinely correct the deformity. Surgical treatments are closing wedge osteotomy, opening wedge osteotomy, and reversed wedge osteotomy. Radiographs of the fingers are useful in planning the surgical procedure. Severe clinodactyly may require soft tissue alterations to the digit such as release of skin, extensor tendon relocation, and collateral ligament advancement.
The release of the first webspace has the same principle as the Snow-Littler procedure. The difference is the closure of the first webspace; this is done by simple closure or closure with Z-plasties.
Surgery is needed to prevent the closing of the coronal sutures from damaging brain development. In particular, surgeries for the LeFort III or monobloc midface distraction osteogenesis which detaches the midface or the entire upper face, respectively, from the rest of the skull, are performed in order to reposition them in the correct plane. These surgeries are performed by both plastic and oral and maxillofacial (OMS) surgeons, often in collaboration.
The surgery takes place under general anaesthesia and lasts less than 1 hour. The surgeon prepares the locus to the size of the implant after performing a 8-cm axillary incision and inserts the implant beneath the skin. The closure is made in 2 planes.
The implant will replace the pectoralis major muscle, thus enabling the thorax to be symmetrical and, in women, the breast as well. If necessary, especially in the case of women, a second operation will complement the result by the implantation of a breast implant and / or lipofilling.
Lipomodelling is progressively used in the correction of breast and chest wall deformities. In Poland syndrome, this technique appears to be a major advance that will probably revolutionize the treatment of severe cases. This is mainly due to its ability to achieve previously unachievable quality of reconstruction with minimal scaring.
Surgical treatment of the cleft hand is based on several indications:
Improving function
- Absent thumb
- Deforming syndactyly (mostly between digits of unequal length like index and thumb)
- Transverse bones (this will progress the deformity; growth of these bones will widen the cleft)
- Narrowed first webspace
- The feet
Aesthetical aspects
- Reducing deformity
The reported incidence of constriction ring syndrome varies from 1/1200 and 1/15000 live births. The prevalence is equally in male and female.
Fetomaternal factors like prematurity, maternal illnes, low birth weight and maternal drug exposure are predisposing factors for the constriction ring syndrome.
No positive relationship between CRS and genetic inheritance has been reported.
Management often includes the use of beta blockers such as propranolol or if not tolerated calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors.
Since angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs) also reduce TGF-β, these drugs have been tested in a small sample of young, severely affected people with Marfan syndrome. In some, the growth of the aorta was reduced. However, a recent study published in NEJM demonstrated similar cardiac outcomes between the ARB, losartan, and the more established beta blocker therapy, atenolol.
The goals of surgical treatment are: reducing length of the thumb, creating a good functioning, a stable and non deviated joint and improving the position of the thumb if necessary. Hereby improving function of the hand and thumb.
In general the surgical treatment is done for improvement of the thumb function. However, an extra advantage of the surgery is the improvement in appearance of the thumb. In the past, surgical treatment of the triphalangeal thumb was not indicated, but now it is generally agreed that operative treatment improves function and appearance. Because an operation was not indicated in the past, there’s still a population with an untreated triphalangeal thumb. The majority of this population doesn’t want surgery, because the daily functioning of the hand is good. The main obstacle for the untreated patients might not be the diminished function, but the appearance of the triphalangeal thumb.
The timing of surgery differs between Wood and Buck-Gramcko. Wood advises operation between the age of six months and two years, while Buck-Gramcko advises to operate for all indications before the age of six years.
- For TPT types I and II of the Buck-Gramcko classification, the surgical treatment typically consists of removing the extra phalanx and reconstructing the ulnar collateral ligament and the radial collateral ligament if necessary.
- For type III of Buck-Gramcko classification proposable surgical treatments:
- For type IV of Buck-Gramcko classification the surgical treatment typically consists of an osteotomy which reduces the middle phalanx and arthrodesis of the DIP. This gives a shortening of 1 to 1.5 cm. In most cases, this technique is combined with a shortening, rotation and palmar abduction osteotomy at metacarpal level to correct for position and length of the thumb. The extensor tendons and the intrinsic muscles are shortened as well.
- For type V of the Buck-Gramcko classification the surgical treatment proposably consists of a "pollicization". With a pollicization the malpositioned thumb is repositioned, rotated and shortened, the above-described rotation reduction osteotomy of the first metacarpal can be performed as well.
- For type VI of the Buck-Gramcko classification, the surgical treatment typically consists of removing the additional mostly hypoplastic thumb(s). Further procedures of reconstruction of the triphalangeal thumb are performed according to the shape of the extra phalanx as described above.
The American Heart Association made the following recommendations for Marfan's patients with no or mild aortic dilation:
- Probably permissible activities: bowling, golf, skating (but not ice hockey), snorkeling, brisk walking, treadmill, stationary biking, modest hiking, and doubles tennis.
- Intermediate risk: basketball (both full- and half-court), racquetball, squash, running (sprinting and jogging), skiing (downhill and cross-country), soccer, singles tennis, touch (flag) football, baseball, softball, biking, lap swimming, motorcycling, and horseback riding.
- High risk: bodybuilding, weightlifting (non-free and free weights), ice hockey, rock climbing, windsurfing, surfing, and scuba diving.
There is no standard treatment for the hand malformations in Apert due to the differences and severity in clinical manifestations in different patients. Every patient should therefore be individually approached and treated, aiming at an adequate balance between hand functionality and aesthetics.
However, some guidelines can be given depending on the severity of the deformities.
In general it is initially recommended to release the first and fourth interdigital spaces, thus releasing the border rays.
This makes it possible for the child to grasp things by hand, a very important function for the child's development. Later the second and third interdigital spaces have to be released.
Because there are three handtypes in Apert, all with their own deformities, they all need a different approach regarding their treatment:
- Type I hand usually needs only the interdigital web space release. First web release is rarely needed but often its deepening is necessary. Thumb clynodactyly correction will be needed.
- In type II hands it is recommended to release the first and fifth rays in the beginning, then the second and the third interdigital web spaces have to be freed. The clynodactyly of the thumb has to be corrected as well. The lengthening of the thumb phalanx may be needed, thus increasing the first web space. In both type I and type II, the recurrent syndactyly of the second web space will occur because of a pseudoepiphysis at the base of the index metacarpal. This should be corrected by later revisions.
- Type III hands are the most challenging to treat because of their complexity. First of all, it is advised to release the first and fourth webspace, thus converting it to type I hand. The treatment of macerations and nail-bed infections should also be done in the beginning. For increasing of the first web space, lengthening of the thumb can be done. It is suggested that in severe cases an amputation of the index finger should be considered. However, before making this decision, it is important to weigh the potential improvement to be achieved against the possible psychological problems of the child later due to the aesthetics of the hand. Later, the second and/or third interdigital web space should be released.
With growing of a child and respectively the hands, secondary revisions are needed to treat the contractures and to improve the aesthetics.
When it comes to treatment it is important to differentiate a thumb that needs stability, more web width and function, or a thumb that needs to be replaced by the index finger. Severe thumb hypoplasia is best treated by pollicization of the index finger. Less severe thumb hypoplasia can be reconstructed by first web space release, ligament reconstruction and muscle or tendon transfer.
It has been recommended that pollicization is performed before 12 months, but a long-term study of pollicizations performed between the age of 9 months and 16 years showed no differences in function related to age at operation.
It is important to know that every reconstruction of the thumb never gives a normal thumb, because there is always a decline of function. When a child has a good index finger, wrist and fore-arm the maximum strength of the thumb will be 50% after surgery in comparison with a normal thumb. The less developed the index finger, wrist and fore-arm is, the less strength the reconstructed thumb will have after surgery.
Nager syndrome is thought to be caused by haploinsufficiency of the spliceosomal factor SF3B4.
Treatment of congenital clasped thumb includes two types of therapy: conservative and surgical.
Minor degrees of curvature are common. Reports of incidence vary between 1% and 19.5%.
Treatment is usually supportive treatment, that is, treatment to reduce any symptoms rather than to cure the condition.
- Enucleation of the odontogenic cysts can help, but new lesions, infections and jaw deformity are usually a result.
- The severity of the basal-cell carcinoma determines the prognosis for most patients. BCCs rarely cause gross disfigurement, disability or death .
- Genetic counseling
Treatment of all categories of congenital clasped thumbs should start with either serial plaster casting or wearing a static or dynamic splint for a period of six months, while massaging the hand. Extension by splinting shows reduction of the flexion contracture. To gain optimal results, it is important to start this treatment before the age of six months. The result of this therapy is better in less severe deformities. In most uncomplicated cases, a satisfactory result can be gained when splint therapy starts before the age of six months. Splinting should be tried for at least three months and possibly for as long as six months or longer. If the result of splint therapy stagnates, surgery treatment is indicated.
Malformations of the upper extremities can occur In the third to seventh embryonic week. In some cases the TPT is hereditary. In these cases, there is a mutation on chromosome 7q36. If the TPT is hereditary, it is mostly inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, non-opposable and bilateral. The sporadic cases are mostly opposable and unilateral.
Nager acrofacial dysostosis is a genetic congenital anomaly syndrome. Nager syndrome displays several or all of the following characteristics: underdevelopment of the cheek and jaw area, down-sloping of the opening of the eyes, lack or absence of the lower eyelashes, kidney or stomach reflux, hammer toes, shortened soft palate, lack of development of the internal and external ear, possible cleft palate, underdevelopment or absence of the thumb, hearing loss (see hearing loss with craniofacial syndromes) and shortened forearms, as well as poor movement in the elbow, and may be characterized by accessory tragi. Occasionally, affected individuals develop vertebral anomalies such as scoliosis. The inheritance pattern is said to be autosomal but there are arguments as to whether it is autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. Most cases tend to be sporadic. Nager syndrome is also linked to five other similar syndromes: Miller syndrome, Treacher Collins, Pierre Robin, Genee-Wiedemann, and Franceschetti-Zwahlen-Klein.
The syndromes associated with central polydactyly are:
Bardet–Biedl syndrome,
Meckel syndrome,
Pallister–Hall syndrome,
Legius syndrome,
Holt–Oram syndrome,
Also, central polydactyly can be associated with syndactyly and cleft hand.
Other syndromes including polydactyly include acrocallosal syndrome, basal cell nevus syndrome, Biemond syndrome, ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasias-cleft lip/palate syndrome, mirror hand deformity, Mohr syndrome, oral-facial-digital syndrome, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, short rib polydactyly, and VATER association.
It can also occur with a triphalangeal thumb.
Because neither of the two thumb components is normal, a decision should be taken on combining which elements to create the best possible composite digit. Instead of amputating the most hypoplastic thumb, preservation of skin, nail, collateral ligaments and tendons is needed to augment the residual thumb. Surgery is recommended in the first year of life, generally between 9 and 15 months of age.
Surgical options depend on type of polydactyly.
Heart-hand syndrome type 2 is also known as Berk–Tabatznik syndrome. Berk–Tabatznik syndrome is a condition with an unknown cause that shows symptoms of short stature, congenital optic atrophy and brachytelephalangy. This condition is extremely rare with only two cases being found.