A systematic study of the oblique retinacular ligament of the human finger: its structure and function

A dissection of 14 preserved and two fresh human hands, a total of 64 fingers, all from different individuals, showed the oblique retinacular ligament to vary incompleteness and to be functionally present in only 40 to 50% of the specimens, except for the ulnar side of the ring finger where it was present in over 90%. When present, it was made taut by flexion of the distal phalanx, regardless of the postition of the proximal interphalangeal joint. Excision of the ligament when present or in its absence in these fingers, did not alter the coordinated motion of the interphalangeal joints produced by traction on the extrinsic flexors and the lateral bands. In absence of the ligament, a constant finding was the presence of a proximally located osteocapsular ligament which became taut on extension of the proximal interphalangeal joint.