Modified Suzuki frame for the treatment of difficult Rolando fractures

Fifteen consecutive patients with severely comminuted Rolando fractures were treated by closed reduction and fixation with a modified Suzuki frame without rubber bands, followed by immediate mobilization. All the fractures healed within 5 weeks. At 3 months, no rotational deformity was observed. The Kapandji score was equal that of the contralateral thumb in eight cases. No residual pain was recorded. Grip strength was 78% and pinch strength was 78% of the contralateral hand. One patient needed the frame tension modified. One patient developed a sensory deficit in the area of the superficial branch of the radial nerve that resolved spontaneously in 3 months. One patient healed with a 2-mm articular step-off, but the clinical outcome was good. Our retrospective study suggests that the small modification we made to the Suzuki frame provides a relatively simple and minimally invasive technique for the treatment of comminuted Rolando fractures.