Porto-Novo – In underdeveloped countries, particularly in Africa, many children have their hands closed for a disease, syndactyly, or due to burns. But a simple plastic surgery can open them. This is the purpose of the project “Open a little hand” by Aicpe-onlus, the humanitarian branch of Aicpe (Italian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) and active in Togo, Paraguay, Guatemala and, from next year for the first time, also in Benin. Syndactyly is a condition which has an incidence of one in every 2,500 births and is the partial melting (only skin) or complete (even bone) of fingers and toes. In 50% of cases it had chromosomal hereditary causes and is often associated with polydactyly, or supernumerary just sketched fingers. It may be associated with other malformations of the facial skeleton and spine, esophagus, heart and kidneys. (9Colonne)
