Sliding Operation Of Flexor Muscles Treating Volkmann's Ischemic Contractue Of Forearm In The Medium And Late Period

BackgroundVolkmann's ischemic contracture was reported first by Volkmann in 1881.It is defined a syndrome witch occurs when the muscles and nerves are ischemic because of the tissue fluid pressure in the fascia compartment of forearm rising. The pathogenesis of this disease is very complex. Its damages to the function of hand are very serious, and many of the patients are children and adolescents. According to investigation by many medical experts, the best treatment of this disease is prevention because there is not any an approach to reverse the damages of volkmann's ischemic contracture to the hand function at present. The target of treating the disease is to correct the deformities and improve the function of the hand. The sliding operation of flexor muscles is to mobilize and slide the organs of pronator teres, flexor carpi, flexor digitorum superfiscialis and profundus distally until the deformity of the hand was corrected.ObjectiveTo discuss the therapeutic effect of the sliding operation of flexor muscles for Volkmann's ischemic contracture.MethodsFifteen patients with Volkmann's ischemic contracture were treated by the sliding operation of flexor muscles. The series consisted of 13 males and 2 females. Their ages are from 3 to 39 year old, and the average age of them is 12 year old. According to Tsuge's classification , 2 cases were graded as groupâ… and 13 cases were graded as groupâ…¡. The all cases slided and mobilized the organs of pronator teres, flexor carpi, flexor digitorum superfiscialis and profundus distally until the deformity of the hand was corrected.ResultsAll patients were followed up for a period from 8 months to 8 years, and were assessed clinically according to the range of motion of hand. The clinical results show that 6 are excellent(the rate is 40%), 8 are good(the rate is 53.3%) ,1 is acceptable(the rate is 6.7%) and none was poor,the overall excellent rate is 93.3%. They show that clinical results are satisfactory.ConclusionsThe sliding operation of flexor muscles for treating Volkmann's ischemic contracture gives a satisfactory effect, and is sample and easy to operate. It is worthy of promotion.