NEW TREATMENT FOR FINGER FRACTURES | PHALANGEAL FRACTURES

Dr. Jonathan Y. Lee and colleagues published a paper on a novel method for the treatment of difficult phalangeal (finger bones) avulsion fractures, in the prestigious Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American edition).

The hook plate technique for fixation of phalangeal avulsion fractures. Gavin Chun-Wui Kang, Andrew Yam, Ee San Phoon, Jonathan Yi-Liang Lee and Lam-Chuan Teoh. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 94(11): e721-6 (2012)

Avulsion fractures are small fragments that are notoriously difficult to secure with earlier methods of treatment yet are critically important, as they are the attachments of important ligaments and tendons, and thus have significant functional compromise if they do not heal properly.

The novel method modifies existing Synthes® titanium implants, to create a ‘hook’ plate that overcomes the shortcomings of earlier methods of treatment for these small, difficult to fix, but functionally significant fractures of the finger bones.