Bony mallet finger: a novel surgical approach to the terminal tendon insertion using a dual parallel incision - A...

A bony mallet finger refers to an avulsion fracture at the dorsal base of the distal phalanx. When the fracture fragment involves more than one-third of the articular surface and is accompanied by volar subluxation of the DIP joint, the joint's stability is compromised. In this setting, surgical treatment is often necessary. Open reduction and hook plate fixation provide the most rigid fixation and have become increasingly popular. However, surgical approaches - including Y-, H-, S-, and U-shaped incisions - are frequently associated with complications such as skin necrosis, nail deformity, and implant extrusion. Treating bony mallet finger with a hook plate is challenging. This retrospective case series study involved a review of 26 patients who underwent surgical treatment for bony mallet finger between May 2019 and December 2022. Our objective is to describe a novel surgical approach using double parallel dorsal longitudinal incisions for fixing mallet fractures. Additionally, we provide the preliminary results to evaluate its effectiveness.