A 50-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a new inability to extend his 5th digit of the left hand. He states he was playing a game of pick-up basketball last week when he jammed the finger while attempting to catch a pass from a teammate. An AP and lateral radiograph of the digit is obtained (Image 1 courtesy of Dr Alborz Jahangiri, Radiopaedia.org). What is your diagnosis? What causes this injury? What exam maneuver can help diagnose the underlying injury before the deformity is evident? What is the treatment/management of this injury? What are the surgical indications?
Resources and References
Check out the rest of the SplintER archives.
- Souter WA. The Problem of Boutonniere Deformity. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1974;104:116-133. PMID: 4607222
- Strauch RJ. Extensor Tendon Injury. Green’s Operative Hand Surgery. 2011:159-188. doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-5279-1.00006-x
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