[Surgical treatment of panaritium articulare with the external minifixator]

Septic interphalangeal arthritis can cause severe damage to the joint affected. Two patients treated by the appropriate operative procedure are presented. After interphalangeal distraction by external fixation two drains are placed in the joint and saline solution is infused regularly. The distraction improves the catheter irrigation and the prospects of success. At follow-up examination we saw no negative consequences of the joint distraction.