[Assessment of results of opponensplasty by transfer of flexor digitorum superfitcialis tendon of the ring finger].

This study is the review of 16 hands in the same number of patients (15 men, 1 female) in whom ring finger flexor digitorum superficialis opponensplasty was performed. The patients were operated on during the period of 6 years. The lack of thumb opposition was a result of traumatic nerve leasions (5 median, 11 median and ulnar). The operation was performed 7.2 months (on average) after the nerve reconstruction. The outcome was assessed by scoring the finger to which the thumb could obtain a pinch grip (Kapandji's test), measuring the gap between thumb and little finger MCP joints, the patient's satisfaction. The sensitivity on the pulps of ring and little finger were also tested. Two patients were reoperated for loosening the transferred tendon, two patients developed minor dysfunction of the donor finger. The results were evaluated 41 weeks after an operation. As a result of the operation the "opposition gap" was diminished by 22 mm on average; the patients scoring by Kapandji's test was improved by 2 points. Eight patients assessed the improvement of the hand function as excellent, six as good, two were dissatisfied with the result.