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Supernumerary Digit

Definition
1. Congenital remnant of digit or Skin Tag
Epidemiology
1. More common in black infants
2. Inherited trait
Signs
1. Location
  1. Base of metacarpophalangeal joint on hand
  2. Base of metatarsophalangeal joint on foot
  3. Lateral to fifth digit or medial to thumb
2. Characteristics
  1. Skin Tag-like swelling without bone palpable
  2. Attached to extremity by small pedicle
  3. No voluntary motion
  4. Nail may be present
Differential Diagnosis
1. Polydactyly (true extra-digit with bone palpable)
Management (No signs of true Polydactyly)
1. Tie Suture tightly around pedicle
2. Digit will fall off several days after ligature
References
1. Behrman (2000) Nelson Pediatrics, Saunders, p. 2093
2. Fuloria (2002) Am Fam Physician 65(2):265

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.