Each of these follow-up patients was ques-tioned about complications from splinting or surgical A mallet fracture is a broken bone at the tip of the finger. In addition to the initial review, a subgroup of 72 patients (73 mallet finger injuries) were evaluated after a mean follow-up time of 38 months (range, 6.5 months to 8 years). The doctor may recommend an appointment with a hand surgeon for further evaluation. Sports A long-handled implement used to strike a ball, as in croquet and polo. This injury sometimes includes a small fracture of the finger. Over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription pain medication can be used to alleviate pain. It’s common, but rarely needs surgery. In the meantime, ice (wrapped in a towel or cloth) can be applied to the affected area to help reduce swelling and alleviate pain. The distal joint is the last joint near the tip of the finger. Basketball and baseball players routinely experience jammed fingers, but the injury can occur because of a crushing accident on the job or even because of a cut finger while working in the kitchen. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. A finger that bends down at the end joint and cannot be straightened is called a mallet finger. X-rays help the doctor know if the bone has a crack or break. This injury sometimes includes a small fracture of the finger. Mallet finger occurs when you cannot straighten your finger. Tendons are the strong "cables" between muscles and bones that help control movements of the body. Editors: Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM, Research Director, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine; Richard Harrigan, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Temple University School of Medicine. A mallet finger happens when the extensor tendon to the distal joint of the finger is stretched or torn. remaining 123 mallet fingers from 119 patients were reviewed. "A simple effective splinting technique for the mallet finger. A hand specialist may monitor the progress of the injury, especially if there is a likelihood of the finger being deformed. an avulsion, partial or complete, of the long finger extensor from the base of the distal phalanx, resulting in the inability to fully extend the distal interphalangeal joint actively. Mallet finger is a flexion deformity resulting from avulsion of the extensor mechanism from the DIP joint.. Synonyms for this injury are baseball finger and drop finger, and jamming injuries in ball sports are common.. Mallet finger is when the tendon on the top of a finger or thumb is stretched or torn. Wrap ice in a towel. Although it is also known as "baseball finger," this injury can happen to anyone when an unyielding object (like a ball) strikes the tip of a finger or thumb and forces it to bend further than it is intended to go. This straight-on impact causes instantaneous stretch of the tendon, which may overextend or tear away. If the tendon was damaged due to a cut, stitches may be required both to repair the tendon and to adequately close the wound. Caution should be used when playing ball sports or using knives or other sharp implements. There are many reports on the treatment for chronic tendon, There are few reports regarding dorsal extension block pinning for treating chronic bony, (1) reveals that insufficient or inappropriate treatment of the, According to the results of our study and the literature, we conclude that in the treatment of osseous, Various surgical treatments have been advocated for bony, Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary, the webmaster's page for free fun content, Treatment of Chronic Bony Mallet Fingers by Dorsal Extension Block Pinning with Percutaneous Curettage, Comparison Between Y- and S-Shaped Incisions for Open Reduction and Hook-Plate Fixation of the Mallet Finger/Cekic Parmagin Acik Reduksiyon Ve Kanca-Plak Ile Tedavisinde Y ve S Seklindeki Insizyonlarin Karsilastirilmasi, Two Extension Block Kirschner Wires' Technique for Bony Mallet Thumb. Mallet finger definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. When a ball or other object strikes the tip of the finger or thumb and forcibly bends it, the force tears the tendon that straightens the finger (see Figure 1a and 1b). https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mallet+finger. A similar tool with a rubber, leather, or plastic head, used to strike a surface without damaging it. the wooden implement used to strike the balls in croquet. An injury to the tendon that straightens the tip of your finger or thumb is called a mallet finger (or “baseball finger”). © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. After the injury has occurred, you may notice that you are unable to fully straighten the tip of your finger. It is caused by an injury to the tendon that straightens (extends) the finger. There is a bend in the end joint of the finger along with the inability to straighten the finger. The splint must be worn at all times for six to eight weeks, though it may be briefly removed to wash the finger, but with extreme care so as not to allow the fingertip to bend. A splint worn day and night for 6-8 weeks will cure the problem in most cases. a hammerlike tool with a head commonly of wood but occasionally of rawhide, plastic, etc., used for driving any tool with a wooden handle, as a chisel, or for striking a surface. Medical definition of mallet finger: involuntary flexion of the distal phalanx of a finger caused by avulsion of the extensor tendon. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. How to use mallet in a sentence. If your finger is not broken or cut, or if only a small fracture is present, the doctor will apply a splint to the end of the finger so it remains extended. Who gets a Mallet Finger? 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