Flexor pollicis brevis adductorplasty: an alternative method in ulnar nerve paralysis

Area of Science:

• Hand surgery
• Orthopedics
• Nerve repair

Background:

• Ulnar nerve paralysis significantly impairs thumb and index finger coordination, leading to loss of pinch strength.
• Current treatments for restoring adductor pollicis muscle function involve various tendon transfer methods.

Observation:

• This study investigates the flexor digitorum brevis muscle transfer to the adductor pollicis tendon as a novel surgical technique.
• Anatomical dissection in cadavers confirmed the vascular supply and innervation of the flexor digitorum brevis.
• The procedure involves detaching and rerouting the flexor digitorum brevis muscle to the adductor pollicis tendon.

Findings:

• The flexor pollicis brevis adductorplasty was performed on four patients with ulnar nerve paralysis.
• Postoperative evaluation at six months showed a mean key pinch strength of 29.7% of the contralateral hand.
• This indicates a functional restoration of key pinch strength.

Implications:

• Flexor pollicis brevis adductorplasty presents a viable alternative surgical option for restoring adductor pollicis muscle function.
• This technique may improve hand function and quality of life for individuals with ulnar nerve paralysis.
• Further research could explore long-term outcomes and compare this method with existing tendon transfers.