Treatment
Technique
The complete or partial absence of the pectoralis muscle is the malformation that defines Poland syndrome. It can be treated by inserting a custom implant designed by CAD (computer aided design). A 3D reconstruction of the patients chest is done using an implant shaped from a medical scan and designed to be perfectly adapted to the anatomy. The implant is made of medical grade silicone rubber. The treatment is purely cosmetic and does not restore the patients imbalanced upper body strength.The Poland syndrome malformations are morphological, so correction by custom implant is the first-line treatment. This technique allows a wide variety of patients to be treated with good outcomes. Poland Syndrome can be associated with bones, subcutaneous and mammary atrophy: the first, as for pectus excavatum, is successfully corrected by a custom implant, while the others can require surgical intervention such as lipofilling or silicone breast implant, in a second operation. Surgery
The surgery takes place under general anaesthesia and lasts less than 1 hour. The surgeon prepares the locus to the size of the implant after performing an 8-centimetre (3.1 in) axillary incision, then inserts the implant beneath the skin. The closure is made in two planes.The implant replaces the pectoralis major muscle, thus enabling the thorax to be symmetrical and, in women, the breast as well. If necessary, especially in the case of women, a second operation will complement the result by the implantation of a breast implant and / or lipofilling.Lipomodelling is progressively used in the correction of breast and chest wall deformities.
Clarkson published his series of three cases and named the syndrome after Poland in his article. Notable cases
TV presenter Jeremy Beadle (1948–2008) was known for having this condition. His Poland syndrome manifested itself in the form of his disproportionately small right hand. Olympic boxer Jérôme Thomas is also affected by Poland syndrome, as his left arm and hand are significantly shorter and smaller than his right. Thomas also lacks a left pectoral muscle. PGA Tour golfer Bryce Molder has Poland syndrome, with an absent left pectoral muscle and a small left hand. Several surgeries in his childhood repaired syndactyly on the left hand. Actor Ted Danson, famous for starring in the TV show Cheers, admitted he had the condition in 2000 to Orange Coast magazine and said that he was bullied as a child because of it. Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso is affected by Poland syndrome; he is missing the right pectoral muscle. Cricketer Lewis Hatchett was born with Poland syndrome. Australian Paralympian Mathew Silcocks is affected by Poland syndrome. Hailey Dawson of Nevada (born 2010) has a missing right pectoral muscle and is missing three fingers on her right hand due to the condition. She has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch at all 30 Major League Baseball parks, using a 3D-printed robotic right hand fitted for her by engineers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Actor Gary Burghoff, best known for the television series M*A*S*H, has Poland syndrome manifesting in brachydactyly on his left hand.