Nonoperative treatment of traumatic dislocations of the extensor digitorum tendons in patients without rheumatoid disorders.

Traumatic subluxation and dislocation of the extensor digitorum tendons are uncommon in patients without rheumatoid disorders. Management of the acute injury is not well defined in the orthopedic literature. Two cases of traumatic dislocations of the extensor digitorum tendon were seen acutely in young persons without rheumatoid disease. These patients were successfully managed by early closed reduction and immobilization. This treatment had yielded good hand function to date, without recurrence of the dislocation. One of these cases was particularly unusual in that the direction of the tendon dislocation was radial. This particular injury has not been previously described.