Hypothenar hammer syndrome

Abstract

The diagnosis of hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) should be considered in the case of hand ischemia in people who occupationally or recreationally use the hypothenar region literally as a “hammer”. Routine diagnostics should consist of physical examination including Allen’s test, acral plethysmography and duplex sonography. According to the prevailing opinion angiography remains the «gold standard test» for establishing the diagnosis of HHS. Early diagnosis allows more effective therapeutic strategies and is important to prevent long-term negative medical sequelae. Several basic principles apply to all patients, for example hand protection and smoking cessation. The optimal treatment options, particularly the indication for surgery, remain controversial due to a lack of sound data from case series or prospective randomized trials.

Keywords: Hypothenar hammer syndrome; corkscrew sign; repetitive blunt hand trauma; surgical repair; thrombolysis; ulnar artery thrombosis/aneurysm.