Clinodactyly

Clinodactyly is derived from the Greek 'klinein' which means to bend, slope or incline and 'dactylos' which is finger, toe. Clinodactyly is a condition describing a bend or curvature of the fifth fingers, the little fingers, toward the adjacent fourth or the ring fingers. It is sometimes called '"fifth finger clinodactyly' to distinguish it from similar curving of other finger or toe. It is a minor congenital isolated anomaly which goes unnoticed most of the times. It can also occur in combination with other abnormalities in many genetic syndromes such as Russell-Silver syndrome or Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) and Klinefelter (XXY) syndrome, Banki syndrome, Blooms syndrome and Feingold syndrome.

Clinodactyly can be identified in prenatal ultrasound. It is statistically correlated with increased risk of chromosome aberration in the fetus. Clinodactyly is also diagnosed by treating physicians after a thorough medical history and careful physical examination. X rays are used to confirm the diagnosis. As such no treatment is required for clinodactyly. Some surgical procedures involve an osteotomy, making a cut in the bone and correcting the deformity, and stabilizing the finger until the bone and soft tissue are healed. Although surgery is usually successful in correcting this condition, there is a always a risk of recurrence and need for future surgery.

The exact incidence of clinodactyly is not known but it is estimated to be present in approximately 10% of the general population. It occurs in 60% of patients with Down Syndrome. If the condition is noted during a prenatal ultrasound, then amniocentesis may be warranted. Interestingly, clinodactyly can be an inherited condition as well, and may be present as a part of an associated syndrome.

Banki Syndrome

Banki syndrome is an orthopedic condition, which is very rare. It is characterized by the curvature of fingers and fusion of bones in the wrist lunate and cuneiform respectively. The appearance of bones in the Banki syndrome is usually deformed. However the underlying cause of this is the fusion of bones in the digits, wrist and also phalanges. In most cases Banki Syndrome acts as the predisposing factor for clinodactyly. The only treatment method known for this syndrome is the corrective surgery.