title: Interphalangeal joint stiffness following claw hand reconstruction.
abstract: Conventional immobilisation following surgery for claw hand reconstruction necessitates altogether more than six weeks of post-operative physiotherapy. Two to four weeks of physiotherapy was required for re-education of the transferred tendons and an additional period of physiotherapy was needed to overcome the interphalangeal joint stiffness seen in all hands--even those with no pre-operative I.P. stiffness. Fifty hands with no pre-operative I.P. stiffness were immobilised post-operatively following claw hand correction by three different techniques, (Conventional technique 20 hands; Modification type 1, 10 hands and Modification type 2, 20 hands). Modification type 1 produced unsatisfactory results. Modification type 2 however, resulted in near total absence of I.P. stiffness with no additional physiotherapy required to overcome the minimal stiffness, without interfering with the results of reconstructive surgery. Type 2 immobilisation was achieved by a volar plaster slab extending from just below the elbow to the finger tips with circumferential plaster up to just beyond the metacarpophalangeal joints. Modification type 2 is recommended.
mesh_terms: D002370:Casts, Surgical; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D008722:Methods; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011182:Postoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors