Treatment of the chronic boutonniere deformity by extensor tenotomy
Meadows, S.E.; Schneider, L.H.; Sherwyn, J.H.
Hand Clinics 11(3): 441-447
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0749-0712 PMID: 7559822 Document Number: 5951
A patient with a chronic boutonniere deformity often experiences more difficulty because of the hyperextension deformity at the distal joint, rather than the lack of extension at the proximal interphalangeal joint. It is in these cases that restoration of flexion at the terminal joint by tenotomy of the terminal extensor tendon is of most value. Transection of the terminal extensor tendon is a useful procedure for salvage of the boutonniere deformity. It may substitute a mild mallet deformity for a fixed extension contracture, thereby improving grasp. It is indicated most strongly at the ulnar fingers, which are most important for power grip.
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