Preventive surgery for congenital deformities of the hand.

Science is on the verge of major changes in the treatment of congenital deformities of the hand. The first changes will be technical and will involve the increasing use of microsurgery, laser surgery, electricity, and fiber optics. Improved imaging techniques will permit earlier and more precise diagnosis of tissue abnormalities. The second phase will be antenatal preventive surgery, first on the fetus and later on the embryo. The third phase will be the prevention of congenital deformities by bioengineering.