Collateral Ligament Reconstruction of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hand Surgery
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint collateral ligament injuries are frequent.
• Chronic instability of the PIP joint is an uncommon but difficult complication.
• Current management strategies lack consensus and sufficient outcome data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel surgical technique for PIP joint collateral ligament reconstruction.
• To describe the use of a distally based flexor digitorum superficialis tendon slip.
• To provide a potential solution for chronic PIP joint instability.

Main Methods:

• Surgical reconstruction of the collateral ligament of the PIP joint.
• Utilizing a distally based slip of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon as a graft.
• Case presentation and description of the surgical procedure.

Main Results:

• The described technique offers a method for reconstructing the collateral ligament.
• This approach aims to restore stability to the chronically unstable PIP joint.
• Further studies are needed to evaluate long-term outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Reconstruction using an FDS tendon slip is a viable option for chronic PIP joint instability.
• This technique addresses a rare but significant clinical challenge in hand surgery.
• Further research is warranted to validate the efficacy of this method.