Restoration of opposition of the fifth finger of the hand

Abstract

I describe a technique for surgical restoration of opposition of the fifth finger, which includes transfer of the extensor digiti quinti tendon between the fifth and fourth metacarpals towards the dorsoulnar aspect of the neck of the fifth metacarpal, where the transferred tendon is fixed to the opponens digiti quinti tendon. I have operated on 11 patients with paralysis of all the hypothenar muscles, all of whom were followed up from one to three years postoperatively. Ten were successful.

• restoration
• opposition
• fifth finger
• hand