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What is cleft hand?

Cleft hand occurs when a child’s hand doesn’t develop properly during pregnancy. The condition can sometimes be detected on a routine prenatal ultrasound. After the baby is born, the deformity is visible.

Although cleft hand usually affects both hands, it can also occur in only one hand. Children born with cleft hand may also have cleft foot. All affected children, except those with very mild cases, need one or more surgeries, usually starting in their first year of life.

What are the symptoms of cleft hand?

Not all cleft hands look the same. Typically, the center portion of the hand is missing a finger or fingers and there’s a V-shaped cleft in that space. Less often, clefts occur on the thumb side or the little finger side of the hand.

What causes cleft hand?

Cleft hand is congenital, meaning babies are born with the condition. It develops during pregnancy when the bones of the hand are forming. The exact cause is unknown, but scientists and doctors are learning more and more about the possible genetic causes (passed from parent to child).

How is cleft hand diagnosed?

Cleft hand is diagnosed by your child’s doctor after a careful physical examination. As part of the diagnosis, your child will have an x-ray to look for related problems with the bones of the fingers and hand.

How is cleft hand treated?

Not all children need surgery for a cleft hand, particularly if the condition is not too severe and they have good use of their hand. However, if your child's hand has significant functional or cosmetic problems, their doctor may recommend surgery.

There are many different surgical options to repair a cleft hand. The timing and sequence of procedures will vary from child to child. In general, the first procedure is usually done when a child is 1 year old.

After surgery, your child will wear a long-arm cast stabilized by pins for about four to six weeks.