During the years 1960-1980 42 patients with syndactyly were treated at the Department for Handsurgery of the University of Munich. In addition to the conventional classification and in regard to the criteria for operative management, we stress the difference between the simple and the more complex forms of syndactyly as well as those cases in which the syndactyly is part of a syndrome. There was a relation of 1:1 between the simple and the 'complex' syndactyly. The results of former and modern operative management are reviewed and the value of some special methods is pointed out.