title: Splintage in the treatment of sagittal band incompetence and extensor tendon subluxation.
abstract: This study assessed the success of splintage for traumatic and atraumatic sagittal band incompetence and its relationship to the duration of symptoms before treatment. A retrospective review of all patients with sagittal band incompetence treated with splintage was performed. All patients had extensor tendon subluxation on physical examination. Ninety-two patients were included: 68 traumatic and 24 atraumatic. Subluxation resolved with splintage in 77 patients. Traumatic tendon subluxation resolved in 95% of acute injuries, 100% of subacute injuries, and 67% of chronic injures. Atraumatic tendon subluxation resolved in 100% of patients with acute presentation, 67% of patients with subacute presentation, and 57% of patients with chronic presentation. Surgery was rarely required. Splintage proved very effective for acute sagittal band incompetence, regardless of causation, but decreased in efficiency with chronicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level 4.
authors.affiliation: Mary S. Stern Hand, Fellowship, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peelman
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Specialists, Cincinnati, OH, USA bloxiblues@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markiewitz
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Specialists, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiefhaber
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013165:Splints; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Extensor mechanism; extensor subluxation; extensor tendon; sagittal band; sagittal band splint