A Remarkable Case of Polydactyly

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Neatorama has previously featured reports of polydactyly in a newborn and in a professional baseball player.   The most interesting aspects of the case reported in this video are the excellent development of the supernumerary digits and the accepting attitude of both the physicians and the child's parents.
It's merely an interesting and beautiful variation rather than a worrisome thing, said Dr. Michael Treece, a St. Luke's Hospital pediatrician. I would be tempted to leave those fingers in place. I realize children would tease each other over the slightest things, and having extra digits on each hand is more than slight. But imagine what sort of a pianist a 12-fingered person would be. Imagine what sort of a flamenco guitarist. If nothing else, think of their typing skills.

A slightly better solution than the one the doctors decided was necessary for my polydactylist aunt - they made her mother tie string around the extra digits so tightly that they eventually went necrotic and fell off. Ah, modern medicine!
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@DarrenBaker

Typically, the "fingers" share a bone with other fingers, and are far from functional (more like a "nub" with some basic movement ability if any).
In this case of this child (and it's probably *quite* rare) is that the 5th finger (note: not including thumb here) is just like the other 4 fingers. The extra digit appears to be fully-functional and it's quite astounding and interesting.
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I was born with an extra thumb on my right hand, because my mother took DES and thalidomide when she was pregnant with me.
A nerve runs right over the bone nub where the doctor amputated my third thumb and if I hit that area on something, the pain is unbelievable.
I hope this little boy's doctor does the best possible surgery for him.
Like genetics, any drug use during pregnancy shows up in the second and third generations.
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some people are so ignorant. especially the person who said "what mirror tells you that looks good?"

Maybe a better question is "what mirror tells you it DOESN'T look good"? that's where the amputation should happen.

why would you amputate a totally normal finger? if they were nubs with no movement, i could see it since that happened to me.
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