Outcomes of Tendon Transfer Surgery for Correction of Ulnar Claw Hand: A Case Series

This case series presents detailed postoperative physiotherapeutic rehabilitation and functional outcomes of 3 patients following tendon transfer surgery for the correction of claw hand due to traumatic nerve injury. Three patients with different etiologies of claw hand and sociodemographic characteristics presented to the hand therapy center after claw correction surgery. Two patients underwent flexor digitorum superficialis 4-tail tendon transfer, and 1 patient underwent the Zancolli lasso procedure. Hand therapy began after 4 weeks of appropriate postoperative immobilization. It began with the activation and strengthening of the new muscle-tendon unit and its integration into functional activities. All patients returned to work 12 weeks after surgery, followed by an assessment of outcomes at 16 weeks. Satisfactory improvements in the functional outcomes based on the Brand criteria, the Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation, and the Patient-Specific Functional Scale were observed in all patients at 16 weeks.