Carpal coalition: a rare coincidence with hand deficiencies.


Published online: Aug 27 2003

Sferopoulos NK, Tsitouridis I.

Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, G. Gennimatas Hospital and Radiology, G. Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract

Three cases in which congenital carpal fusion was associated with formation deficiencies of the hand are presented. In two patients with a lunate-triquetral and a capitate-hamate-trapezoid coalition, respectively, an ulnar deficient hand was also diagnosed. A subdivision of the first type of ulnar club hand deformities is proposed. Other skeletal anomalies included duplication of a phalanx and pseudoepiphysis of a metacarpal, respectively. In the latter case hypoplasia of the flexor tendons to the fingers, excluding the thumb, was also noted. In the third case, a proximal capitate-hamate coalition coexisted with aplasia of the flexor tendons to the middle finger.