-Review-

Minimal Invasive Corrective Osteotomy with the Ilizarov Mini-Fixator for Malunited Fractures of Proximal Phalanges in Adolescence: Report of Three Cases and a Review of the Literature

Yuji Tomori, Norie Kodera, Mitsuhiko Nanno and Tokifumi Majima

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

Posttraumatic malunion with combination of angular, rotational, and shortening deformity of the proximal phalanx may cause scissoring of a finger and impairment of hand function. Cosmetic disfigurement and severe dysfunction of fingers require surgical correction, most often via open corrective osteotomies and rigid fixation with a plate or screws. However, such an approach requires a longer incision, inevitably results in a scar, and has a higher potential for extensor tendon adhesion. Also, abruption of the periosteum and plating of the phalange requires longer bone healing time. Thus, we devised a technique of minimally invasive correction of phalangeal malunion using an external mini-fixator. We presented representative three cases of malunited fractures of phalanges treated with the Ilizarov mini-fixator in adolescence and review reports of similar cases. The usage of Ilizarov mini-fixator provided excellent outcomes for posttraumatic malunion of three fingers.

J Nippon Med Sch 2023; 90: 141-148

Keywords
finger, proximal phalange, malunion, corrective osteotomy, external fixator

Correspondence to
Yuji Tomori, MD, PhD, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nippon Medical School Hospital, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan
s4064@nms.ac.jp

Received, August 16, 2022
Accepted, December 28, 2022