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Central polydactyly of the foot: An experience of a treatment of 22 patients

Ishigaki T, Akita S, Udagawa A, Suzuki H, Mitsukawa N

Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, 2023

22 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The central polydactyly of the foot is a rare congenital disorder, and its characteristics are not well known. This study aims to investigate its disease concept.

METHODS: We obtained the medical records of patients who were treated surgically for central polydactyly of the foot at our hospital during a 32-year period from 1990 to 2021 retrospectively. We compared our clinical data with other case series reports to investigate the characteristics of this disorder further.

RESULTS: There were 22 patients (13 males and 9 females) included in our case series. Unilateral and bilateral involvements were observed in 19 (right side: 6 patients; left side: 13 patients) and 3 patients, respectively. The second toe is the commonest duplicated toe (observed in 19 toes). 19 patients had distally duplicated toes (with normal metatarsal bone). Proximally duplicated toes were observed in only two patients.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of central polydactyly of the foot is almost equal among male and female, and bilateral involvements are few. As this abnormality is rarely reported, further investigations are needed to clarify the clinical presentation of central polydactyly of the foot.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health. Reported size: 22 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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