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Book

Mallet Finger Injuries

Bryan G. Beutel  1 , Muhammad Waseem  2
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Mallet Finger Injuries

Bryan G. Beutel et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

A mallet finger typically refers to an extensor tendon avulsion injury at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint. This can be the result of a direct, isolated rupture of the terminal extensor tendon or due to a distal phalangeal base fracture. In both cases, the result is an inability to actively extend the DIP joint, leading to a characteristic flexion deformity of the fingertip that is often described as resembling a mallet or hammer. This injury most commonly occurs due to sudden, forceful flexion of an extended DIP joint, eg, when a ball strikes the tip of an outstretched finger.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Bryan Beutel declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Muhammad Waseem declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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    1. Ramponi DR, Hellier SD. Mallet Finger. Adv Emerg Nurs J. 2019 Jul/Sep;41(3):198-203. - PubMed
    1. STARK HH, BOYES JH, WILSON JN. Mallet finger. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1962 Sep;44-A:1061-8. - PubMed
    1. Chung DW, Lee JH. Anatomic reduction of mallet fractures using extension block and additional intrafocal pinning techniques. Clin Orthop Surg. 2012 Mar;4(1):72-6. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cheung JP, Fung B, Ip WY. Review on mallet finger treatment. Hand Surg. 2012;17(3):439-47. - PubMed

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