Restoration of strong opposition after median-nerve or brachial plexus paralysis

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1975 Jan;57(1):112-5.

Abstract

In hands in which the superficial flexors of the fingers and thenar muscles of opposition are denervated, usually as the result of high median-nerve or brachial plexus injury, thumb opposition can be restored by transfer of the superficial flexor of the ring finger to the thumb through a dynamic pulley made from the distal segment of flexor carpi ulnaris which is attached to the proximal segment of flexor carpi ulnaris to the transferred paralyzed superficial ring-finger flexor tendon. Of sixteen patients treated by this method, twelve had good or satisfactory results; one had a poor result; and three were lost to follow-up.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brachial Plexus / injuries*
  • Casts, Surgical
  • Fingers / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Median Nerve / injuries*
  • Middle Aged
  • Paralysis / surgery*
  • Splints / methods
  • Sutures
  • Tendon Transfer* / methods
  • Thumb / surgery
  • Wrist Joint / surgery