Congenital Hand Anomalies and Associated Syndromes

Physicians often have only partial knowledge of common congenital hand and upper extremity anomalies and their associated syndromes. Surgeons typically find these syndromes to be abstruse and congenital hand conditions can represent an enigma even to pediatric geneticists. This book is designed to serve as a practical, up-to-date reference that will enable practitioners and students in a variety of disciplines to easily recognize the most common congenital upper extremity anomalies and syndromes. In total, 37 congenital upper extremity anomalies and 127 syndromes are discussed. Salient and common presenting features are described in detail and illustrated with the aid of high-quality digital color photographs whenever possible. In addition, relevant background information is included on such aspects as prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis and findings elsewhere in the body.

“This is a long-awaited comprehensive review of congenital hand anomalies and associated syndromes that will appeal to clinical geneticists and hand surgeons alike. The illustrations are outstanding, with a combination of photographs, X-rays, illustrative diagrams, plaster moulds and CT scans. … I would strongly recommend this as an educational resource to understand the use of specific terms describing hand malformations and as a practical tool to aid with diagnosis of hand anomalies. The resource of photographs is unique.” (Ruth Newbury‑Ecob, Human Genetics, Vol. 134, 2015)

Dr. Ghazi M. Rayan is Clinical Professor in Orthopedic Surgery and Adjunct Professor of Anatomy in the Cell Biology Department at the University of Oklahoma. He has also been Director of the Oklahoma Hand Surgery Fellowship Program for almost 25 years and is Chair of the Division of Hand Surgery at the INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City. He has appeared in the Consumers’ Research Council of America’s Guide to America’s Top Surgeons in each year since 2002 and has also appeared in Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.’s America's Top Doctors. He is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Hand Surgery and is a consultant reviewer for a number of peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Rayan has written more than 170 journal articles and 30 book chapters and has been the editor of 7 books.

Dr. Joseph Upton received his BA from Yale University and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas in 1970. He completed hissurgical residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut in 1972 and was an orthopedic surgeon in the US Army stationed at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia in 1974. He completed his Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas in 1976 and a Fellowship in Hand Surgery at the Roosevelt Hospital in New York, New York in 1977.

Dr. Upton’s practice is one of the world’s largest specializing in congenital hand deformities, vascular anomalies, and pediatric and adult microsurgery. He is on staff at many local hospitals including Children’s Hospital Boston, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children.

Dr. Upton is Clinical Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Hand Fellowship Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Among many other works, he is the co-author of the Atlas of Digital Reconstruction: The Ray and Cascade Principle, has edited 3 books in Hand surgery, has over 200 publications in journals and text books and has a permanent exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science.