Abstract: Introduction Poland syndrome is a congenital underdevelopment of the hand, the upper extremity and the thorax, with the underdevelopment of the pectoralis major muscle. The clinical features of deformations are diverse, as is the extent of underdeveloped regions. Aim The paper presents the analysis of own experience in the treatment of children and adults suffering from Poland syndrome. Material and methods The clinical material consisted of 33 patients divided into two groups. The first group included 24 children who were treated for hand defects. The other group, consisting of 9 older patients, underwent reconstruction surgery in the thoracic region. The analysis comprised the types of hand defects and the applied surgical methods, as well as the reconstructive treatment of the breast and pectoral muscle. Results Corrective hand surgery was performed in children since the end of the age of one. Mainly, syndactyly separation or deepening of web space was conducted, although pollicization of the index finger, or closure of the cleft hand were also performed. Breast reconstructions were predominantly performed using implants between the ages of 16 and 18. Conclusions Hand surgery plays a significant role in the treatment of patients with Poland syndrome. The variety of defects necessitates the single-stage or multi-stage treatment involving different techniques. The treatment of hand defects applies to both sexes. After puberty, the main group of patients are women qualified for breast reconstruction.

Key words: brachysyndactyly, breast agenesis, breast reconstruction, hand defects