Recording congenital differences of the upper limb.

Consistent classification of congenital differences of the upper limb is of paramount importance for the study of the pathogenesis. To overcome the inconsistencies of present classifications, a non-classifying recording method has been developed. This method records individual aberrations, including bone and soft-tissue defects. Between 1996 and 1998, a prospective study was performed to validate the method. Two hundred and thirty-one patients with upper limb differences were assessed, and all individual aberrations were recorded. These data can be transferred to any classification. It is concluded that the presented method will allow consistent grouping of patients without losing details about simple and complex differences.