title: SmartToe® implant compared with Kirschner wire fixation for hammer digit corrective surgery: a review of 28 patients.
abstract: For many years, end-to-end arthrodesis of a proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis to correct hammer digit deformity has been fixated with a Kirschner wire (K-wire). For this particular hammer digit deformity correction, we attempted to determine the effectiveness of the SmartToe(®) intramedullary shape memory implant compared with the K-wire. In a retrospective analysis of 28 cases, we evaluated several important parameters at baseline, postoperative days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56, and 6 months for pain, complications, arthrodesis achieved, and return-to-work status. The SmartToe(®) outperformed the K-wire in all categories, with no evidence of significant complications, compared with multiple complications for patients in the K-wire arm of the study. This study demonstrates that the SmartToe(®) is a reasonable choice for fixation of proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in hammer digit correction.
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Podiatric Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Southwest Orthopaedic Group, Austin, TX 78745, USA. aangiras99@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Arush K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Angirasa
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silvester
mesh_terms: D001174:Arthrodesis; D001864:Bone Wires; D037801:Hammer Toe Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014033:Toe Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome