Abstract
Seventy three hands in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing primary index to small finger metacarpophalangeal joint replacements were studied retrospectively. In twenty eight hands a crossed intrinsic transfer was performed and in forty five hands it was not. A similar splintage and rehabilitation programme was followed in each group. The two treatment groups had similar preoperative ulnar drift (crossed intrinsic transfer group mean 278, comparative group 298). At a mean follow up of 50 months the crossed intrinsic transfer group had statistically less ulnar drift (crossed intrinsic transfer group mean 68, comparative group mean 148, P=0.01). There were no other significant differences at follow up.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.