Hand Surgery & Syndactyly Correction

Restoring function. Rebuilding the hand. Giving hands back their purpose. The hand is one of the most complex and functionally critical structures in the body -- and injuries, congenital differences, and conditions affecting the hand can have a profound impact on a person's ability to work, care for themselves, and engage with the world. Plastic surgeons have a long and central role in hand surgery -- bringing reconstructive expertise, microsurgical skill, and aesthetic precision to conditions affecting this vital structure.

M.Ch Plastic Surgery -- NIMS Hyderabad (India's premier surgical training institution) FAM & FAS (Belgium) -- International fellowship-level training in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery All consultations, procedures, and injectables performed personally by Dr. Bhavya Sree -- never delegated Visakhapatnam's only plastic surgeon with dual international fellowship credentials in aesthetic surgery Natural-looking results -- surgical technique guided by an artist's eye for proportion and harmony Conditions Treated Condition Treatment Syndactyly (Fused Fingers) Congenital fusion -- surgically separated with skin grafting/flaps. Operated at 6-18 months. Polydactyly (Extra Digits) The additional digit is surgically removed and the hand reconstructed for optimal appearance and function. Trigger Finger / Thumb Locking due to inflamed tendon sheath. Treated by surgical release Dupuytren's Contracture under local anaesthesia. Progressive flexion contracture of the palm. Treated by surgical fasciectomy -- restoring finger extension.

Tendon Repair Division of flexor or extensor tendons -- precise microsurgical repair within defined time windows. Nerve Repair & Digital nerve lacerations repaired primarily or with nerve grafts -- Reconstruction restoring sensation. Ganglion Cysts Benign cystic swellings at the wrist or hand -- excised when Post-Traumatic symptomatic. Reconstruction Complex hand injuries from RTAs, industrial accidents, or burns -- multi-stage reconstruction.

Syndactyly Correction -- In Detail

Syndactyly correction is one of the most common paediatric hand operations. The fused fingers are separated using a zigzag incision along the web space. The newly created web space is resurfaced using a combination of local skin flaps and full-thickness skin grafts (typically from the groin). The hand is immobilised in a cast for 3 weeks post-operatively.

Both fingers of a syndactyly are supplied by shared blood vessels -- surgical separation must be meticulously planned to avoid compromising circulation to either digit. This is one of the key reasons hand surgery for congenital differences requires a plastic surgeon's specific expertise.

Optimal Age 6-18 months -- before independent hand use is established Anaesthesia General anaesthesia (children); local/regional (adults) Duration 1.5-3 hours per web space Hospital Stay 1-2 nights Immobilisation Cast or splint for 3 weeks Final Result 6-12 months

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age should syndactyly be corrected? The optimal window is 6-18 months -- before the child develops independent hand function and before digital growth divergence (where unequal growth of fused fingers distorts each digit). Border digits (thumb-index and ring-little finger) are prioritised earliest due to greater functional impact. Will the hand look and function normally after syndactyly repair?

In simple (skin-only) syndactyly, results are generally excellent -- natural-looking web spaces and full finger function. Complex syndactyly (involving shared bone or vessels) requires more extensive reconstruction and results may vary. Dr. Bhavya Sree will provide an honest assessment specific to your child's anatomy.

Hand surgery requires specialist training and microsurgical precision -- drbhavyaplasticsurgery.com