Area: THUMB
Primary Problem: Adduction,
or the thumb coming in too much. Also, bringing the thumb out may be difficult
Most Common Procedure: Adductor
pollicis release/lengthening with extensor pollicis re-routing.
In this procedure the adductor pollicis is
loosened to decrease the thumb pulling in. To help the thumb pull out better,
the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) is moved (without cutting it) from the back
of the wrist to the area where the extensor pollicis brevis runs. It is then
tethered there. This helps the EPL and the EPB to work better to pull the
thumb out along with up. Many times during surgery a wire is placed in the
thumb joint to hold it still while it is healing. It is removed in the office
when the cast comes off. As with the other procedures, how active and how
tight the muscles are beforehand impact the outcome of the surgery. Your
surgical team will be able to define your case more individually.
