Reconstruction of the Paralyzed Flexor Muscles in hand: Omer's Technique / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

The hand is an organ of both motion and sensibility. Motion is necessary for the highly adaptive functions of pinch, grasp, and hook. When a major muscle is paralyzed, the balance of the hand is disrupted. The objective of reconstructive procedure is to achieve a limited but balanced functional performance by means of redistributing assets rather than creating new motor and sensory units. Among the variable methods of treatment, the tendon transfer is a useful method in restoring the lost functions of the paralyzed hand. Authors reviewed 3 cases of paralyzed hands the first one had an impairment of the opposition and flexion of the thumb caused by brachial plexus injury; the second one had an adducted thumb and a flexion contracture of the index and middle fingers due to a severe compression injury to forearm; the third one was a quadriplegics due to the C5-6 fracture-dislocation, but fortunately had a function of active flexion in ring and little fingers. They were treated by Omer's technique plus other reconstructive procedures for the paralysis at the Department of Orthopaedics, Catholic Medical Center from 1978 to 1981. By this procedure gratifying results such as restoration of pinching and grasping function were obtained.