Assessment of Aesthetic Outcomes Following Late Surgical Release of Syndactyly in Pediatric Patients

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Syndactyly is one of the most common congenital anomalies of the hand, characterized by the fusion of adjacent digits due to incomplete separation during embryonic development. Early surgical correction is generally recommended to achieve optimal functional and cosmetic outcomes. However, delayed presentation and late surgical intervention are still common in many developing countries. This study aimed to assess the aesthetic outcomes following late surgical release of syndactyly in pediatric patients. Methods & Materials: This hospital-based descriptive observational study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh, from November 2024 to October 2025. A total of 30 pediatric patients who underwent late surgical release of syndactyly were included using purposive sampling. Results: The majority of patients were aged 5–7 years (36.7%) and males constituted 56.7% of the study population. Most participants were from rural areas (63.3%). The right hand was most commonly affected (46.7%) and simple syndactyly was the predominant type (70.0%). The third web space was most frequently involved (40.0%). The dorsal rectangular flap with skin graft was the most commonly used surgical technique (60.0%). Most patients had no postoperative complications (70.0%). Regarding aesthetic outcomes, excellent results were observed in 40.0% of patients, good outcomes in 33.3%, fair outcomes in 20.0% and poor outcomes in 6.7%. Conclusion: Late surgical release of syndactyly in pediatric patients can achieve satisfactory aesthetic outcomes with a relatively low rate of postoperative complications when appropriate surgical techniques and postoperative care are applied.