The Study about the Cases with Surgical Treatment of Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Metacarpophalangeal Joints of the Thumb

Over the last 3 years, 12 patients with collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb were operated on. The ages of the patients ranged from 16 to 76 years (mean, 37.4 years). 10 were males and 2 females. 8 had radial and 4 had ulnar instability. In the radial cases, periods from injury to operation were longer than those in the ulnar cases.We thought that it was due to difference of disturbance on ADL between the radial and ulnar cases. In ulnar cases, Stener's lesion was observed in 2 cases, and these cases showed obvious instability. We treated old cases later than 4 weeks with capsuloplasty, and results of them were all excellent. We thought that capsuloplasty was indicated for old cases.