Brachydactyl hand, cast
GC.6246
Bones of left forearm and hand, showing congenital shortness of the fingers.
Of a male aged 73 years whose brachydactyly (5.(10).a.8.) was associated with webbing of the fingers. The hand was flexed at the metacarpophalangeal and terminal interphalangeal articulations during life (5.(10).a.7.).
The head of the index metacarpal is irregular and nodular and medially overlaps the body of the bone, while a small sesamoid bone lies laterally on its volar aspect. The metacarpal of the little finger is dispropor¬tionately massive and cylindrical and an oblique ridge passes from the centre of the volar aspect of the body obliquely and distally across its medial surface. The thumb is normal except for the marginal irregularities of chronic arthritis. The proximal phalanges of the fingers are distorted. The proximal phalanx of the middle finger is flattened and slender and terminates in a small oblique articular surface. The proximal phalanx of the ring finger is flattened laterally and is rough anteriorly. The head is small and deformed and presents an oblique articular surface with a volar orientation. The proximal phalanx of the little finger is massive and its head is elongated mediolaterally. The index middle phalanx is synostosed to the terminal phalanx. The middle phalanx of the medius forms a small irregular wedge. The ring middle phalanx forms an osseous disc. The little finger middle phalanx is synostosed to the terminal phalanx but its limit is indicated by a groove. There is slight generalized chronic arthritis.
Twentieth century, early
