ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results and prognostic factors of the extension block technique for treating a bony mallet finger. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2002 and January 2009, forty-nine patients who underwent the extension block technique for a bony mallet finger were evaluated. The minimum period of follow up was 6 months. The type of fracture was classified by the Wehbe and Schneider method. The results were evaluated by the Crawford classification. The prognostic factors were analyzed according to age, gender, the timing of the surgery, the mallet fragment angle and the residual displacement. RESULTS: According the Crawford classification, there were 22 excellent, 20 good, 6 fair and 1 poor results. The poor prognostic factors were an older patient age, subluxation, a smaller mallet fragment angle and smaller postoperative displacement (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The prognostic factors of the extension block technique for bony mallet finger were the patient age, subluxation, the mallet fragment angle (more than 30 degrees) and the postoperative displacement.