A case of mirror hand deformity with a 17-year postoperative follow up - Case report

We present a case of a boy with a congenital upper-extremity malformation, including aplasia of the radius, double ulna, aplasia of the thumb, and pol ydactyly with a 17-year postoperative follow-up. The whole extremity, parti cularly the upper arm and shoulder girdle were hypoplastic. There was restr iction of movement of the elbow and a flexion contracture of the wrist. At an age of 2 years he had three hypoplastic fingers resected and pollicisati on of the third accessory finger. The thenar was reconstructed by interosse ous muscle transfers and the flexion contracture corrected by a flexor tend on transfer. Preoperative electromyographic studies showed that he had two ulnar nerves with cross-innervation of the median nerve. Further improvemen ts (including tendon transfer of the flexor carpi radialis) were made 16 ye ars after the primary operation. At the age of 18 years the patient has sat isfactory function of his left hand.