title: Correction of the claw hand.
abstract: Intrinsic paralysis can be the manifestation of a variety of pathologic entities (stroke, cerebral palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, muscular dystrophy, leprosy, trauma, cervical disease, and compressive and metabolic neuropathies). Patients present with a spectrum of clinical findings dependent on the cause and severity of the disease. The 3 main problems caused by intrinsic weakness of the fingers are clawing with loss of synchronistic finger flexion, inability to abduct/adduct the digits, and weakness of grip. Clawing is defined as hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joints and flexion of the interphalangeal joints. This article describes the clinical evaluation and surgical treatment options for claw hand.
authors: Hand Surgery Division, Department of Orthopedics, Bellevue Hospital Center, NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, 301 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, USA. anthony.sapienza@nyumc.org
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Sapienza
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Green
mesh_terms: D005384:Finger Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008662:Metacarpophalangeal Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods; D053656:Tenodesis / Q000379:methods