Faculty member of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences said: “polydactyly in infants’ fingers or toes is regarded as one of the most widespread congenital anomalies”.

According to WebDa, Dr. Ali Moradi said about infants born with an extra finger: “polydactyly means having extra finger or fingers in the hand. It is one of the most widespread anomalies of the hand and one in every 500 infants suffers from this anomaly; it can manifest itself in different ways”.

This faculty member of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences added: “polydactyly can be caused by a mutation in chromosome 7. The patient has more than five fingers in each hand or the feet”.

Pointing that parents suffering from this disease can transform it to their children, he said: “sometimes, polydactyly involves attached fingers and it might occur both in hands and feet simultaneously”.

Answering the question regarding the cause of polydactyly, Dr. Moradi added: “during fetal time, the hand is primarily in the form of an oar; then, some cracks are created in it and the fingers separate from each other. Sometimes fingers do not separate from each other completely which results in two or more fingers attached to the hand that is called syndactyly. Sometimes, more than four slots are made and therefore more than five fingers are formed that is called polydactyly. Sometimes they occur simultaneously. Genes are involved in this disorder i.e. if either of the parents or both suffer from polydactyly, the possibility of the child being affected increases”. 

Regarding various forms of polydactyly, he said: “the extra finger appears in various forms. It may occur as a skin or flesh appendage beside the finger or it may be like a fully developed finger. Sometimes its bones are attached to the palm bones. Sometimes the finger splits in the end and makes two fingers. The extra finger is often on the outer side of the little finger. In some cases, the extra finger is on the side of the thumb. It rarely occurs that the extra finger is placed among middle fingers”.

He said: “normaly, this anomaly is diagnosed in the clinic without extra experiments and its type is identified using simple radiography”.

Regarding treatment of this anomaly, Dr. Moradi said: “the best method is to remove the extra finger using operation. If the extra finger is among other fingers, it is suggested that the operation be performed in six months of age. When the extra finger grows beside the outer side of the little finger, the operation should be done at the age of one. And when the extra finger is on the side of the thumb, the best time for operation is 1.5 years of age. In any way, the operation should be carried out before the age of five. Removing the extra finger by wrapping a thread around its root might cause intense bleeding and should be avoided. Newborns suffering from this anomaly should be generally examined by the doctor for the possibility of other congenital diseases”.

It should be noted that following the spread of news about birth of a 24-finger baby in Goanabad and a similar case in Mashhad, they referred to Emam Reza Hospital and supported by Mizbanan Khorshid Institute and under supervision of Dr. Ali Moradi-an expert in orthopedics- they will undergo the operation at the appropriate age

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