Three-dimensional Printed Customized Adjustable Mallet Finger Splint: A Cheap, Effective, and Comfortable Alternative

Mallet finger deformity is a common and debilitating injury of the fingertip, accounting for 10% of all tendon and ligament injuries. It involves a disruption of the terminal extensor mechanism of the distal phalanx. Patients can experience significant pain and swelling of the fingertip and have sig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open 2021-03, Vol.9 (3), p.e3500-e3500
Main Authors: Papavasiliou, Theodora, Shah, Rushabh K., Chatzimichail, Stelios, Uppal, Lauren, Chan, Jeffrey C.Y.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Hand/Peripheral Nerve
Ideas and Innovations
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Summary:Mallet finger deformity is a common and debilitating injury of the fingertip, accounting for 10% of all tendon and ligament injuries. It involves a disruption of the terminal extensor mechanism of the distal phalanx. Patients can experience significant pain and swelling of the fingertip and have significant morbidity without treatment. Nonoperative treatment using joint immobilization with splints is the mainstay of management. Traditionally, prefabricated and thermoplastic splints have been utilized; however, issues with comfort and skin complications such as maceration can lead to patient noncompliance and eventually, poor outcomes. To address this, we demonstrate our experience with the design, manufacture, and application of individualized 3D printed mallet finger splints. The splints were found to provide advantages akin to traditional thermoplastic splints, with the addition of being low cost, easy to manufacture, and environmentally friendly.
ISSN:2169-7574
2169-7574
DOI:10.1097/GOX.0000000000003500