title: Closed mallet thumb injury: Our experience of 10 patients treated with surgery and a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study reports 10 patients with closed mallet thumb injury treated with surgery and compares the clinical outcomes achieved with those of previously described patients who were treated with either conservative therapy or surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the outcomes of a series of 10 patients who received surgical treatment at our institutions. Due to the rarity of closed mallet thumb, a systematic review was conducted, and the results of a literature search were compared with our case series to strengthen our conclusions. The previously described patients were categorized into two groups: the surgically treated group (16 patients) and the conservatively treated group (10 patients). The following patient and injury characteristics were documented: age, gender, injured side, time from injury to treatment, mechanism of injury, extension lag at first visit, postoperative range of motion (ROM) of the interphalangeal joint, immobilization period, and follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analyses showed no significant differences in the clinical results, except for shorter immobilization periods between our series and the previously described patients involving conservative treatment (4.9 ± 0.9 vs. 9.5 ± 2.3 weeks, respectively; P = 0.0053).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that surgery may result in more rapid recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chiba Rosai Hospital, 2-16 Tatumidai-higashi, Ichihara City 290-0003, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: abe-yosh@pk9.so-net.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chiba Aoba Municipal Hospital, 1416-4, Aoba-chou, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, 260-0852 Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rokkaku
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, 260-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chiba Aoba Municipal Hospital, 1416-4, Aoba-chou, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, 260-0852 Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, 260-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D000072700:Conservative Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013933:Thumb / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Closed mallet thumb; Conservative treatment; Mallet thumb; Surgery; Systematic review