This is a very rare situation, in which the extra digit is on the ring, middle or index finger. Of these fingers, the index finger is most often affected, whereas the ring finger is rarely affected.

This type of polydactyly can be associated with syndactyly, cleft hand and several syndromes.

Polysyndactyly presents various degrees of syndactyly affecting fingers three and four.

This is a less common situation, in which the affectation is on the side of the hand towards the thumb. Radial polydactyly refers to the presence of an extra digit (or extra digits) on the radial side of the hand. It is most frequent in Indian populations and it is the second most common congenital hand disorder. The incidence of radial polydactyly is reported as 1 in every 3,000 live births. The clinical features of radial polydactyly will depend upon the extent of duplication.

Radial polydactyly varies from a barely visible radial skin tag to complete duplication. Thumb polydactyly varies from barely visible broadening of the distal phalanx to full duplication of the thumb including the first metacarpal.

Radial polydactyly is frequently associated with several syndromes.

Many people with this disorder have a premature fusion of skull bones along the coronal suture. Not every case has had craniosynostosis however. Other parts of the skull may be malformed as well. This will usually cause an abnormally shaped head, wide-set eyes, low set ears and flattened cheekbones in these patients. About 5 percent of affected individuals have an enlarged head (macrocephaly). There may also be associated hearing loss in 10-33% of cases and it is important for affected individuals to have hearing tests to check on the possibility of a problem. They can lose about 33-100% of hearing.

Most people with this condition have normal intellect, but developmental delay and learning disabilities are possible. The signs and symptoms of Muenke syndrome vary among affected people, and some findings overlap with those seen in other craniosynostosis syndromes. Between 6 percent and 7 percent of people with the gene mutation associated with Muenke syndrome do not have any of the characteristic features of the disorder.

As a result of the changes to the developing embryo, the symptoms are very pronounced features, especially in the face. Low-set ears are a typical characteristic, as in all of the disorders which are called branchial arch syndromes. The reason for this abnormality is that ears on a foetus are much lower than those on an adult. During normal development, the ears "travel" upward on the head; however, in Crouzon patients, this pattern of development is disrupted. Ear canal malformations are extremely common, generally resulting in some hearing loss. In particularly severe cases, Ménière's disease may occur.

The most notable characteristic of Crouzon syndrome is craniosynostosis, as described above; however it usually presents as brachycephaly resulting in the appearance of a short and broad head. Exophthalmos (bulging eyes due to shallow eye sockets after early fusion of surrounding bones), hypertelorism (greater than normal distance between the eyes), and psittichorhina (beak-like nose) are also symptoms. Additionally, external strabismus is a common occurrence, which can be thought of as opposite from the eye position found in Down syndrome. Lastly, hypoplastic maxilla (insufficient growth of the midface) results in relative mandibular prognathism (chin appears to protrude despite normal growth of mandible) and gives the effect of the patient having a concave face. Crouzon syndrome is also associated with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and aortic coarctation.

For reasons that are not entirely clear, most Crouzon patients also have noticeably shorter humerus and femur bones relative to the rest of their bodies than members of the general population. A small percentage of Crouzon patients also have what is called "Type II" Crouzon syndrome, distinguished by partial syndactyly.

The triphalangeal thumb has a different appearance than normal thumbs. The appearance can differ widely; the thumb can be a longer thumb, it can be deviated in the radio-ulnar plane (clinodactyly), thumb strength can be diminished. In the case of a five fingered-hand it has a finger-like appearance, with the position in the plane of the four fingers, thenar muscle deficiency, and additional length. There is often a combination with radial polydactyly.

Generally, triphalangeal thumbs are non-opposable. In contrast to most people with opposable thumbs, a person suffering from TPT cannot easily place his or her thumb opposite the other four digits of the same hand. The opposable thumb's ability to effortlessly utilize fingers in a "pinch" formation is critical in precision gripping. For the thumb to adequately grip, certain thumb criteria must be met (e.g. suitable position and length, stable joints and good thenar muscle strength). Because triphalangeal thumbs cannot easily oppose and do not possess many of the optimal qualities found in most opposable thumbs, they tend to cause the hand to be less effective in use and, therefore, prove to be more problematic in daily life.

Ectrodactyly, split hand, cleft hand, derived from the Greek "ektroma" (abortion) and "daktylos" (finger) involves the deficiency or absence of one or more central digits of the hand or foot and is also known as split hand/split foot malformation (SHFM). The hands and feet of people with ectrodactyly are often described as "claw-like" and may include only the thumb and one finger (usually either the little finger, ring finger, or a syndactyly of the two) with similar abnormalities of the feet.

It is a rare form of a congenital disorder in which the development of the hand is disturbed. It is a type I failure of formation – longitudinal arrest. The central ray of the hand is affected and usually appears without proximal deficiencies of nerves, vessels, tendons, muscles and bones in contrast to the radial and ulnar deficiencies. The cleft hand appears as a V-shaped cleft situated in the centre of the hand. The digits at the borders of the cleft might be syndactilyzed, and one or more digits can be absent. In most types, the thumb, ring finger and little finger are the less affected parts of the hand. The incidence of cleft hand varies from 1 in 90,000 to 1 in 10,000 births depending on the used classification. Cleft hand can appear unilateral or bilateral, and can appear isolated or associated with a syndrome.

Split hand/foot malformation (SHFM) is characterized by underdeveloped or absent central digital rays, clefts of hands and feet, and variable syndactyly of the remaining digits. SHFM is a heterogeneous condition caused by abnormalities at one of multiple loci, including SHFM1 (SHFM1 at 7q21-q22), SHFM2 (Xq26), SHFM3 (FBXW4/DACTYLIN at 10q24), SHFM4 (TP63 at 3q27), and SHFM5 (DLX1 and DLX 2 at 2q31). SHFM3 is unique in that it is caused by submicroscopic tandem chromosome duplications of FBXW4/DACTYLIN. SHFM3 is considered 'isolated' ectrodactyly and does not show a mutation of the tp63 gene.

Common signs of Say–Meyer syndrome are trigonocephaly as well as head and neck symptoms. The head and neck symptoms come in the form of craniosynostosis affecting the metopic suture (the dense connective tissue structure that divides the two halves of the skull in children which usually fuse together by the age of six). Symptoms of Say–Meyer syndrome other than developmental delay and short stature include

- Intellectual disability.

- Low-set ears/posteriorly rotated ears

- Intellectual deficit as well as learning disability

- Intrauterine growth retardation (poor growth of a baby while it is in the mother's womb)

- Posterior fontanel

- Premature synostosis of the lambdoid suture (the fusion of the bones to the joint is premature)

- Narrow forehead

- Trigonocephaly (a frontal bone anomaly that is characterized by a premature fusion of the bones which gives the forehead a triangular shape)

- Hypotelorism or hypertelorism (reduced or increased width between the eyes)

- Craniosynostosis (when one or more seam-like junctions between two bones fuses by turning into bone. This changes the growth pattern of the skull)

- Low birth weight and height

The affected patients sometimes show a highly arched palate, clinodactyly (a defect in which toes or fingers are positioned abnormally) and ventricular septal defect (a heart defect that allows blood to pass directly from left to the right ventricle which is caused by an opening in the septum). Overall, Say–Meyer syndrome impairs growth, motor function, and mental state.

There are several classifications for cleft hand, but the most used classification is described by Manske and Halikis see table 3. This classification is based on the first web space. The first web space is the space between the thumb and the index.

Table 3: Classification for cleft hand described by Manske and Halikis

Synostosis (plural: synostoses) is fusion of two bones. It can be normal in puberty, fusion of the epiphysis, or abnormal. When synostosis is abnormal it is a type of dysostosis.

Examples of synostoses include:

- craniosynostosis – an abnormal fusion of two or more cranial bones;

- radioulnar synostosis – the abnormal fusion of the radius and ulna bones of the forearm;

- tarsal coalition – a failure to separately form all seven bones of the tarsus (the hind part of the foot) resulting in an amalgamation of two bones; and

- syndactyly – the abnormal fusion of neighboring digits.

Synostosis within joints can cause ankylosis.

Crouzon syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder known as a branchial arch syndrome. Specifically, this syndrome affects the first branchial (or pharyngeal) arch, which is the precursor of the maxilla and mandible. Since the branchial arches are important developmental features in a growing embryo, disturbances in their development create lasting and widespread effects.

This syndrome is named after Octave Crouzon, a French physician who first described this disorder. He noted the affected patients were a mother and her daughter, implying a genetic basis. First called "craniofacial dysostosis", the disorder was characterized by a number of clinical features. This syndrome is caused by a mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor II, located on chromosome 10.

Breaking down the name, "craniofacial" refers to the skull and face, and "dysostosis" refers to malformation of bone.

Now known as Crouzon syndrome, the characteristics can be described by the rudimentary meanings of its former name. What occurs is that an infant's skull and facial bones, while in development, fuse early or are unable to expand. Thus, normal bone growth cannot occur. Fusion of different sutures leads to different patterns of growth of the skull.

Examples include: trigonocephaly (fusion of the metopic suture), brachycephaly (fusion of the coronal suture), dolichocephaly (fusion of the sagittal suture), plagiocephaly (unilateral premature closure of lambdoid and coronal sutures), oxycephaly (fusion of coronal and lambdoidal sutures), Kleeblattschaedel (premature closure of all sutures).

Muenke syndrome, also known as FGFR3-related craniosynostosis, is a human specific condition characterized by the premature closure of certain bones of the skull during development, which affects the shape of the head and face. First described by Maximilian Muenke, the syndrome occurs in about 1 in 30,000 newborns. This condition accounts for an estimated 8 percent of all cases of craniosynostosis.

Radioulnar synostosis is one of the more common failures of separation of parts of the upper limb. There are two general types: one is characterized by fusion of the radius and ulna at their proximal borders and the other is fused distal to the proximal radial epiphysis. Most cases are sporadic, congenital (due to a defect in longitudinal segmentation at the 7th week of development) and less often post-traumatic, bilateral in 60%, and more common in males. Familial cases in association with autosomal dominant transmission appear to be concentrated in certain geographic regions, such as Sicily.

The condition frequently is not noted until late childhood, as function may be normal, especially in unilateral cases. Increased wrist motion may compensate for the absent forearm motion. It has been suggested that individuals whose forearms are fixed in greater amounts of pronation (over 60 degrees) face more problems with function than those with around 20 degrees of fixation. Pain is generally not a problem, unless radial head dislocation should occur.

Most examples of radioulnar synostosis are isolated (non-syndromic). Syndromes that may be accompanied by radioulnar synostosis include X chromosome polyploidy (e.g., XXXY) and other chromosome disorders (e.g., 4p- syndrome, Williams syndrome), acrofacial dysostosis, Antley–Bixler syndrome, genitopatellar syndrome, Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome, hereditary multiple osteochondromas (hereditary multiple exostoses), limb-body wall complex, and Nievergelt syndrome.

Craniosynostosis (from cranio, cranium; + syn, together; + ostosis relating to bone) is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant skull prematurely fuses by turning into bone (ossification). Craniosynostosis has following kinds: scaphocephaly, trigonocephaly, plagiocephaly, anterior plagiocephaly, posterior plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, oxycephaly, pansynostosis.

Many of the characteristic facial features result from the premature fusion of the skull bones (craniosynostosis). The head is unable to grow normally, which leads to a high prominent forehead (turribrachycephaly), and eyes that appear to bulge (proptosis) and are wide-set (hypertelorism). In addition, there is an underdeveloped upper jaw (maxillary hypoplasia). About 50 percent of children with Pfeiffer syndrome have hearing loss, and dental problems are also common.

In people with Pfeiffer syndrome, the thumbs and first (big) toes are wide and bend away from the other digits (pollex varus and hallux varus). Unusually short fingers and toes (brachydactyly) are also common, and there may be some webbing or fusion between the digits (syndactyly).

It is a disorder that is mostly characterized as developmental delay and short stature. Magnetic resonance imaging scans usually reveal that there is a decreased volume of white matter in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres, a brain stem that is smaller in size, and a thin corpus callosum (nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain). The syndrome is one of the rare causes of short stature.

The following is a list of symptoms that have been associated with Roberts syndrome:

- Bilateral Symmetric Tetraphocomelia- a birth defect in which the hands and feet are attached to shortened arms and legs

- Prenatal Growth Retardation

- Hypomelia (Hypoplasia)- the incomplete development of a tissue or organ; less drastic than aplasia, which is no development at all

- Oligodactyly- fewer than normal number of fingers or toes

- Thumb Aplasia- the absence of a thumb

- Syndactyly- condition in which two or more fingers (or toes) are joined together; the joining can involve the bones or just the skin between the fingers

- Clinodactyly- curving of the fifth finger (little finger) towards the fourth finger (ring finger) due to the underdevelopment of the middle bone in the fifth finger

- Elbow/Knee Flexion Contractures- an inability to fully straighten the arm or leg

- Cleft Lip- the presence of one or two vertical fissures in the upper lip; can be on one side (unilateral) or on both sides (bilateral)

- Cleft Palate- opening in the roof of the mouth

- Premaxillary Protrusion- upper part of the mouth sticks out farther than the lower part of the mouth

- Micrognathia- small chin

- Microbrachycephaly- smaller than normal head size

- Malar Hypoplasia- underdevelopment of the cheek bones

- Downslanting Palpebral Fissures- the outer corners of the eyes point downwards

- Ocular Hypertelorism- unusually wide-set eyes

- Exophthalmos- a protruding eyeball

- Corneal Clouding- clouding of the front-most part of the eye

- Hypoplastic Nasal Alae- narrowing of the nostrils that can decrease the width of the nasal base

- Beaked Nose- a nose with a prominent bridge that gives it the appearance of being curved

- Ear Malformations

- Intellectual disability

- Encephalocele (only in severe cases)- rare defect of the neural tube characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain

Mortality is high among those severely affected by Roberts syndrome; however, mildly affected individuals may survive to adulthood

Pfeiffer syndrome is a very rare genetic disorder characterized by the premature fusion of certain bones of the skull which affects the shape of the head and face. In addition, the syndrome includes abnormalities of the hands (such as wide and deviated thumbs) and feet (such as wide and deviated big toes). Pfeiffer syndrome affects about 1 in 100,000 births.

Additional findings that may be present in HFGS according to the latest research are:

- Limited metacarpophalangeal flexion of the thumb or limited ability to oppose the thumb and fifth finger

- Hypoplastic thenar eminences

- Medial deviation of the great toe (hallux varus), a useful diagnostic sign when present

- Small great toenail

- Fifth-finger clinodactyly, secondary to a shortened middle phalanx

- Short feet

- Altered dermatoglyphics of the hands; when present, primarily involving distal placement of the axial triradius, lack of thenar or hypothenar patterning, low arches on the thumbs, thin ulnar loops (deficiency of radial loops and whorls), and a greatly reduced ridge count on the fingers

Radiographic findings

- Hypoplasia of the distal phalanx and first metacarpal of the thumbs and great toes

- Pointed distal phalanges of the thumb

- Lack of normal tufting of the distal phalanges of the great toes

- Fusions of the cuneiform to other tarsal bones or trapezium-scaphoid fusion of the carpals

- Short calcaneus

- Occasional bony fusions of the middle and distal phalanges of the second, third, fourth, or fifth toes

- Delayed carpal or tarsal maturation

- Metacarpophalangeal profile reflecting shortening of the first metacarpal, the first and second phalanges, and the second phalanx of the second and fifth digits

Urogenital Defects

Females may have the following:

- Vesicoureteral reflux secondary to ureteric incompetence

- Ectopic ureteral orifices

- Trigonal hypoplasia

- Hypospadiac urethra

- Subsymphyseal epispadias

- Patulous urethra

- Urinary incontinence (related to structural anomalies and weakness of the bladder sphincter muscle)

- Small hymenal opening

- Various degrees of incomplete Müllerian fusion with or without two cervices or a longitudinal vaginal septum

Males may have the following:

- Retrograde ejaculation (related to structural anomalies and weakness of the bladder sphincter muscle)

This condition exists in a variety of forms, ranging from partial absence of the tail bone regions of the spine to absence of the lower vertebrae, pelvis and parts of the thoracic and/or lumbar areas of the spine. In some cases where only a small part of the spine is absent, there may be no outward sign of the condition. In cases where more substantial areas of the spine are absent, there may be fused, webbed, or smaller lower extremities and paralysis. Bowel and bladder control is usually affected.

Numerous associated abnormalities of other organ systems may be present. This heterogeneity requires comprehensive evaluation of all patients and treatment regimes that can vary from modification of activities to extensive spinal surgeries. Furthermore, it is unclear whether Klippel–Feil syndrome is a unique disease, or if it is one part of a spectrum of congenital spinal deformities. Klippel–Feil syndrome is usually diagnosed after birth.

The most common sign of the disorder is restricted mobility of the neck and upper spine. A short neck and low hairline at the back of the head may occur in some patients.

Associated abnormalities may include:

- scoliosis (side-to-side curvature of the spine), which is abnormal curving of the spine. The spine sometimes appears as a "C" or an "S"

- spina bifida, when the spinal canal and the back bone do not close completely during birth

- anomalies of the kidneys and the ribs

- cleft palate (hole in the roof of the mouth)

- dental problems (late dentition, high-risk of caries, oligo- and hypodontia)

- respiratory problems

- heart malformations

- short stature

- Duane syndrome

- Approximately 35% of patients with Klippel–Feil syndrome will also have a congenital elevation of the scapula known as Sprengel's deformity

The disorder also may be associated with abnormalities of the head and face, skeleton, sex organs, muscles, brain and spinal cord, arms, legs, fingers and heart defects. These heart defects often lead to a shortened life expectancy, the average being 35–45 years of age among males and 40–50 among females. This condition is similar to the heart failure seen in gigantism.

In 2011, a study identifying the occurrence of symptoms of 100 patients was published.

Hand-foot-genital syndrome (HFGS) is characterized by limb malformations and urogenital defects. Mild bilateral shortening of the thumbs and great toes, caused primarily by shortening of the distal phalanx and/or the first metacarpal or metatarsal, is the most common limb malformation and results in impaired dexterity or apposition of the thumbs. Urogenital abnormalities include abnormalities of the ureters and urethra and various degrees of incomplete Müllerian fusion in females and hypospadias of variable severity with or without chordee in males. Vesicoureteral reflux, recurrent urinary tract infections, and chronic pyelonephritis are common; fertility is normal.

Classification of radial dysplasia is practised through different models. Some only include the different deformities or absences of the radius, where others also include anomalies of the thumb and carpal bones. The Bayne and Klug classification discriminates four different types of radial dysplasia. A fifth type was added by Goldfarb et al. describing a radial dysplasia with participation of the humerus. In this classification only anomalies of the radius and the humerus are taken in consideration. James and colleagues expanded this classification by including deficiencies of the carpal bones with a normal distal radius length as type 0 and isolated thumb anomalies as type N.

Type N: Isolated thumb anomaly

Type 0: Deficiency of the carpal bones

Type I: Short distal radius

Type II: Hypoplastic radius in miniature

Type III: Absent distal radius

Type IV: Complete absent radius

Type V: Complete absent radius and manifestations in the proximal humerus

The term absent radius can refer to the last 3 types.

Radial dysplasia, also known as radial club hand or radial longitudinal deficiency, is a congenital difference occurring in a longitudinal direction resulting in radial deviation of the wrist and shortening of the forearm. It can occur in different ways, from a minor anomaly to complete absence of the radius, radial side of the carpal bones and thumb. Hypoplasia of the distal humerus may be present as well and can lead to stiffnes of the elbow. Radial deviation of the wrist is caused by lack of support to the carpus, radial deviation may be reinforced if forearm muscles are functioning poorly or have abnormal insertions. Although radial longitudinal deficiency is often bilateral, the extent of involvement is most often asymmetric.

The incidence is between 1:30,000 and 1:100,000 and it is more often a sporadic mutation rather than an inherited condition. In case of an inherited condition, several syndromes are known for an association with radial dysplasia, such as the cardiovascular Holt-Oram syndrome, the gastrointestinal VATER syndrome and the hematologic Fanconi anemia and TAR syndrome. Other possible causes are an injury to the apical ectodermal ridge during upper limb development, intrauterine compression, or maternal drug use (thalidomide).

The condition arises from some factor or set of factors present during approximately the 3rd week to 7th week of fetal development. Formation of the sacrum/lower back and corresponding nervous system is usually nearing completion by the 4th week of development. Due to abnormal gastrulation, the mesoderm migration is disturbed. This disturbance results in symptoms varying from minor lesions of the lower vertebrae to more severe symptoms such as complete fusion of the lower limbs. While the exact cause is unknown, it has been speculated that the condition may be associated with certain dietary deficiencies including a lack or insufficient amounts of folic acid.

Sacral agenesis syndrome (agenesis of the lumbar spine, sacrum, and coccyx, and hypoplasia of the lower extremities) is a well-established congenital anomaly associated with maternal diabetes mellitus (not gestational diabetes). However, other causes are presumably involved, as demonstrated by the rare incidence of caudal regression syndrome (1:60,000) compared to diabetes.

The dominant inherited sacral agenesis (also referred to as Currarino syndrome) is very often correlated with a mutation in the Hb9 (also called HlxB9) gene (shown by Sally Ann Lynch, 1995, Nature Genetics).

It may be the cause of sirenomelia ("Mermaid syndrome").

It is a congenital subluxation or dislocation of the ulna's distal end, due to malformation of the bones. Sometimes, minor abnormalities of other bone structures, often caused by disease or injury, such as a fracture of the distal end of the radius with upward displacement of the distal fragment. The deformity varies in degree from a slight protrusion of the lower end of the ulna, to complete dislocation of the inferior radio-ulnar joint with marked radial deviation of the hand. Severe deformities are associated with congenital absence or hypoplasia of the radius.

The male:female rate of this disorder is 1:4. The incidence is unknown, and there is no described racial predominance. Even though Madelung's Deformity is considered a congenital disorder, symptoms sometimes aren't seen until adulthood. In most cases, symptoms find their onset during midchildhood. At this age, the relatively slower growth of the ulnar and palmar part of the radius, leads to an increasingly progressive deformity. Pain and deformity are the main symptoms patients present with. Typical clinical presentation consists of a short forearm, anterior-ulnar bow of the radius and a forward subluxation of the hand on the forearm. As mentioned before, the severity of the disorder varies greatly, which also leads to a spectrum of presentation.