ABDUCTOR POLLICIS BREVIS PLASTY FOR THERA PY OF RADIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT RUPTURE OF THE THUMB

Untreated radial collateral ligament rupture of the thumb metacarpopha langeal joint may lead to an impairment of thumb function. The treatme nt is basically similar to ulnar ligament trauma management. Due to th e rarity of this lesion, consistent guidelines for therapy have not ye t been described. In contrast to fresh injuries a refixation of the di srupted ligament usually is not possible when chronic instability has already occurred. Following functional-anatomic considerations a dynam ic joint stabilization method has been developed by transposition and thus reestablishing the functional direction of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle. Thus the physiological radial ligament vector is replac ed and a functional ligament replacement is achieved through a technic ally simple procedure.