Assesment of conservative therapy for pediatric patients with acute mallet finger deformity

Year 2015, Volume: 37 Issue: 2, 121 - 125, 01.07.2015

Turan Taş Seyran Kılınç Volkan Güneyli Okay Bulut Kansu Çilli Eyüp Zengin

https://doi.org/10.7197/cmj.v37i2.5000079536

Abstract

Objective: We evaluated the effectivity of conservative treatment for acute mallet finger deformity in hands of pediatric patients due to trauma in this study. Method: Between 2011-2013, 19 pediatric patients treated due to mallet finger deformity disturbance were reviewed retrospectively. The demographic data and the injury mechanisms of the patients were recorded. We obtained the X-ray films of the patients via PACS system. The classification was applied by the Doyle system. A standard conservative treatment protocol that maintained distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) at extension were applied to all patients. Finger splint was used during the first week for DIP extension. Then another splint that is arranged by also considering the finger diameter and made up of thermoplastic material was used to keep DIP in extension. After the treatment, the patients were clinically evaluated according to Crawford criteria. Results: 13 patients were male and 6 of them were female. 12 patients were Doyle type 1 and 7 of them were Doyle type 4a.The patients were among 9-16 ages. The mean age was 13.2. The fixation time in extension for Doyle type 1 patients was 4 weeks and was 5 weeks for the patients with Doyle type 4a. Exercise program was started fixation; splint was used one week more only at nights. Excellent results were obtained according to Crawford criteria. 2 patients experienced superficial skin problems which healed without any complication. The duration for achieving full range of motion was one week longer than the other children in three patients. Conclusion: Thermoplastic stent is an effective and easily applicable treatment method with high patient compliance for patients with acute type1 and type 4a mallet finger deformity due to trauma.

Keywords

Mallet finger, pediatric patient, conservative treatment, thermoplastic splint

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