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Tendon Transfers for Defective Long Extensors of the Wrist and Fingers

1969; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 3; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3109/02844316909036698

0036-5556

M. Thomsen, Knud Bang Rasmussen,

Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation

Operative methods for activating wrist extension, thumb abduction, and finger extension in the event of defects in these functions are birefly reviewed.In the Orthopaedic Hospital, Copenhagen, 26 patients, 16 with radial paralysis and 10 with sequelae of softtissue injuries to the dorsum of the hand or to the forearm, were operated upon during the period 1954-1965.Finger extension was activated in 11 cases by flexor digitorum sublimis by the method of Boyes and in 15 cases by flexor carpi ulnaris. The wrist was activated in 13 cases by pronator teres. The abductor pollicis longus was activated by flexor carpi radialis or by palmaris longus. The results were assessed by the criteria of Zachary and compared with his results as well as those of Moberg & Nachemson which were somewhat better than ours, especially in the group having sequelae of soft-tissue injuries. The difference is presumably due to the operative technique, and in the future we intend to resect the dorsal carpal ligament as well as the end of the inactivated tendon and suture the tendons end-to-end. Our material shows no difference between finger extension activated by the sublimis tendons and by the flexor carpi ulnaris.Incidentally, we do not find Zachary's method particularly suited for comparing different materials, as it pays too little heed to the preoperative condition and the functional end result.