Flexion Contracture Surgery

Flexion contracture is a relatively common congenital hand deformity. Its etiology is complex and often associated with genetics, frequently manifesting as one of the symptoms of other diseases or syndromes. It commonly affects the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, presenting as proximal interphalangeal joint contracture, which leads to the inability of the fingers to fully extend. There may also be skin tightness, as well as abnormalities in tendons, ligaments, and bones. If not treated promptly, secondary contractures of the skin and joint capsule may occur, resulting in subluxation or dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint.

There is currently no unified standard for the treatment of flexion contracture surgery.

For those with relatively mild symptoms, especially infants under one year old, non-surgical treatment options, such as wearing orthopedic appliances, can be considered to control the deformity's development. However, a complete cure has not been observed clinically.

In cases of severe flexion contracture, palmar fascial contracture release surgery may be chosen. Clinical findings suggest that delaying contracture release can lead to severe secondary bone and joint developmental disorders. Therefore, early surgical intervention is recommended for such patients. After release, there is typically a skin deficiency, which can be further addressed through skin grafting or flap repair. In China, this flexion contracture surgery does not require the transplantation of skin from other parts of the child's body; artificial dermis is commonly used as a substitute.

Dr. Jianghai Chen is MD in Surgery from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (2003) and PhD from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (2008), also Associate Professor/Chief physician of Hand Surgery, Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital, master supervisor.

Dr. Jianghai Chen's Academic Papers:

• Syndactyly release with the use of the Pelnac™ artificial dermal substitute without skin grafting. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2023 Sep;84:115-120.
• Acellular dermal matrix for one-stage treatment of lower extremity full-thickness skin defect: a case series. BMC Surg. 2023 Jan 24;23(1):17.
• Identification and validation of a ferroptosis-related gene signature for predicting survival in skin cutaneous melanoma. Cancer Med. 2022 Sep;11(18):3529-3541.
   

Hot Tags: flexion contracture surgery, China flexion contracture surgery doctor