Recurrence rate of radial deviation following the centralization surgery of radial club hand

Congenital radial club hand (RCH), as a rare congenital deformity of the upper extremity, is characterized by a wide spectrum of malformations including radial deviation. Centralization surgery is the standard treatment for severe cases that have been associated with a high rate of recurrence. This study reports the long-term results and recurrence rate of radial deviation following the centralization surgery of RCH.
The medical records of 13 congenital RCH patients (16 hands), who underwent centralization surgery, were reviewed retrospectively. Hand-forearm angle (HFA), hand-forearm position (HFP), and ulnar bow (UB) were used to assess forearm angles.
The mean age of the patients was 19.4±8.9 months, and their mean follow-up was 62.1±39.9 months. The mean HFA correction was 29.4°±23.9°, the mean HFA recurrence was 13.3°±13.7°, the mean correction of HFP was 13.4±7.3 mm, and the mean recurrence of HFP was 1.4±2.8 mm. The mean UB showed 7.6°±12.5° correction immediately after surgery and a further 3.6°±7.3° at the last follow-up (overall 11.2°±17.6°). A number of 12 out of 13 parents were completely satisfied with the results.
According to our results, an acceptable long-term result is expected after the centralization surgery of RCH. However, the risk of the recurrent radial deviation is high and needs to be optimized in future investigations.