Treatment of chronic mallet fractures using extension-block Kirschner wire.

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Eleven patients with chronic mallet fractures that were seen later than four weeks after injury were treated by extension-block Kirschner wire technique. The average duration from injury to operative treatment was 56 days (range, 28-111). The follow-up evaluations took place after a mean of eight months. The radiographic bone union was obtained in all patients. The average extension loss of the DIP joint was 4 degree (range, 0-15) and the average flexion was 68 degree (range, 43-90). The results according to Crawford's criteria were six excellent, two good, two fair, and one poor. We would say that the technique we treated is effective method of treatment for younger patients with chronic mallet fractures.