Repair of webbed fingers or toes

Description:
General anesthesia is used. Skin areas to be repaired are marked. The skin is incised, and small flaps at the sides of the fingers and in the web are lifted up. These flaps are sutured into position, leaving absent areas of skin. These areas are filled in with full thickness skin grafts taken from the groin. The hand is then immobilized with bulky dressings or a cast.

Indications:
This surgery is advised for syndactyly in which functional ability or cosmetic appearance is impaired.

What to Expect After:
The repair is usually successful. When joined fingers share a single fingernail, the creation of two normal-looking nails is rarely possible. One nail will look more normal than the other. Some children require a second surgery, depending on the complexity of the syndactyly .

Convalescence:
Hospital stays of 1 or 2 days are common. Small children with hand syndactylies may have a cast put on that extends above the flexed elbow. Sometimes, the cast extends beyond the fingers or toes. This protects the repaired areas from trauma.

Risks:
Risks for any anesthesia are:

Risks for any surgery are:

Other possible complications include:

  • loss of skin grafts
  • circulation damage from the cast

Call your doctor for any swelling , severe pain, fever , or fingers that tingle, are numb, or have a bluish discoloration.

Costs:
The costs of any surgery varies significantly between surgeons, medical facilities, and regions of the country. Patients who need more extensive surgery will require more intensive and expensive treatment.

Surgery charges can be separated into five parts: 1) the surgeon's fee, 2) the anesthesiologist's fee, 3) the hospital charges, which includes nursing care and the operating room, 4) the medications, and 5) additional charges.

1. Surgeon's fee: averages $700 to $1,500
2. Anesthesiologist's fee: averages $350 to $400 per hour
3. Hospital charges: basic rate averages $1,500 to $1,800 per day (more for the intensive care unit (ICU) or private rooms)
4. Medication charges: $200 to $400
5. Additional charges: assisting surgeon, treatment of complications, diagnostic procedures (such as blood or X-ray exams), medical supplies, or equipment use.

Insurance coverage for surgery expenses depends on many factors and should be explored for each individual instance.


Fingers or toes (digits) may be fused together (syndactyly) or the webbing between them (inter-digital webbing) may extend far up the digits. Syndactyly is seen commonly between the 2nd and 3rd toes, and is usually associated with a syndrome.