Central Tetrapolydactyly With Atrial Septal Defect and Facial Nerve Palsy in a 15-Month-Old Female Child

Abstract

Polydactyly, which is the presence of an extra appendage on the hand or the foot, is a common congenital anomaly encountered in children. It may be an isolated finding or found in conjunction with other congenital anomalies and syndromes. Polydactyly can occur in the hands or the feet. In the hand, it may occur as radial polydactyly (pre-axial polydactyly) or ulnar polydactyly (post-axial polydactyly (PAP)). Depending upon the side of occurrence, it may be medial, that is, toward the little finger (called ulnar polydactyly) or lateral, that is, toward the thumb (called radial polydactyly). On the feet, the extra digit can either be present on the side of the great toe (called tibial polydactyly) or on the side of the little toe (called fibular polydactyly). In both the upper and the lower limbs, affection of the central three digits is called central polydactyly. Central tetrapolydactyly, which is the presence of an extra appendage on all four limbs, is much more rarely encountered. This case report describes a 15-month-old female child who presented with findings of six digits on all four limbs and deviation of the left angle of mouth since birth. Her echocardiography showed a large atrial septal defect measuring 7 mm, with a left-to-right shunt. This is the first such case reported from all over the world from a tertiary care hospital with the aforementioned findings. Polydactyly, a very common congenital anomaly, should not be ignored in pediatric settings. It is important to diagnose associated features such as congenital heart diseases (CHDs), genitourinary abnormalities, and orofacial abnormalities to facilitate timely surgical correction and help improve the quality of life of those affected.