Ray Resection as a Personalized Surgical Technique for Progressive Hand Macrodactyly in a 60-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Hand macrodactyly is a very scarce deformity. It was first described over 200 years ago and was characterized as “local gigantism” of one or multiple digits. Benign bone overgrowth, massive increase of soft tissue volume, and nerve involvement are associated with hand macrodactyly have been consistently reported in the literature. Often, macrodactyly affects one or more digits and is further classified as static or progressive, depending on the growth pattern, and as sporadic or syndromic, according to its genetic predisposition. Surgical treatment for hand macrodactyly remains a complex issue even for expert hand surgeons. In most of the cases, macrodactyly is diagnosed during early childhood and can be appropriately managed with minimal and well affordable surgical approaches that stabilize its fast progression. However, adults with progressive hand macrodactyly develop advanced deformities leading to severe functional deterioration and aesthetic hand dysmorphia. The purpose of this report is to document the management and surgical approach of the oldest published case, a 60-year-old adult patient with neglected progressive hand macrodactyly despite previous surgical attempts for disease stabilization. A personalized preoperative planning was created, which included ray resection involving the fourth metacarpal and fourthfinger along with extensive debulking of the overgrown fatty soft tissue and carpal tunnel release. At six months’ follow-up, the patient reported an excellent aesthetic and functional outcome.