Treatment of mallet finger deformity with tendon injury in children by modified Kirschner wire fixation and tendon repair

Abstract

Objective To explore the treatment options for mallet finger with tendon injury in children.Methods From February 2004 to July 2011,17 cases (17 fingers) of mallet fingers deformity with tendon injury in children were treated.Four Kirschner wires were placed proximal and distal to the epiphyseal plate and crisscrossed to fix the distal interphalangeal(DIP) joint at 5° to 10° hyperextension.The ruptured extensor tendon was then repaired.A splint was used after the surgery which was removed at 4 weeks postoperatively.The Kirschner wires were removed 6 weeks after the surgery when active finger flexion and extension exercise began.Results All 17 cases were follow-up for 6 to 50 months,with an average of 29 months.Extensor tendons healed.Mallet deformity disappeared.Joint movements were normal.Skeleton growth was not impaired.According to the upper extremity functional evaluation criteria issued by the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association,the results were rated as good in 9 cases,fair in 7 cases and poor in 1 case.The overall satisfactory rate was 94.1％.Conclusion The modified Kirschner wire fixation and extensor tendon repair is an effective surgical technique to treat mallet finger deformities with tendon injury in children. Key words: Child; Tendon injuries; Mallet finger; Epiphyseal injury