brachydactyly

Last reviewed 01/2018

Brachydactyly describes a congenital condition of the upper limb where there is hypoplasia of the digit but a normal number of bones. It leads to a shortening of the digit. There are a large number of causes ranging from relatively frequent presentations with asymmetric shortening of the middle finger causing clinodactyly, to rare syndromic associations. In its mildest forms, digital shortening may go unnoticed by the patient and most patients adapt well to the deformity.