Restoration of thumb opposition by transposing the flexsor pollicis brevis muscle: thirteen-year clinical application

To repair late median nerve injury, many methods have been used in the past years. The aim of this study was to review a thirteen-year experience in restoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexor pollicis brevis muscle.

From July 1992 to August 2005, 63 patients without thumb opposition because of late median never injury were treated by transposing the flexor pollicis brevis muscle. All the patients had received primary nerve repair after the jnjury. The interval between the injury and the second operation was (1.87 +/- 2.31) years (6 months to 4.2 years). The patients were followed up for 3 to 48 [months mean (22.93 +/- 2.31) months]. A functional evaluation system designed in 1992 were used to estimate the outcomes of the patients.

All the patients gained excellent functional results without complications and disabilities during follow-up.

Restoration of thumb opposition by transposing flexsor pollicis brevis muscle has the following advantages: 1. Operative trauma is minimal; 2. It is not necessary to transpose other tendons; 3. Except for the thumb in opposition, movements of other fingers and the wrist are not restricted postoperatively.