The Treatment of Interphalangeal Joint Fracture Dislocations with the Pin and Rubber Method

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of interphalangeal joint injuries treated with the pin-and-rubber method and to determine the effectiveness of this treatment method. Material and Method: Patients aged 18 years or older who presented with injuries of the interphalangeal joints of the hand and were treated with the pin-and-rubber method were included in the study. Patients with open fractures, multiple finger injuries, or those who underwent open surgery were excluded. Total of 32 interphalangeal joint injuries were evaluated retrospectively. Eight of those patients declined to participate in the study and the final analysis included 24 fingers of a total of 24 patients. Age, sex, injured finger, type of injury, and time until treatment were recorded for all patients. Union was evaluated based on joint radiographs from patients final follow-up appointments. For the evaluation of functional results, joint range of motion was measured with a finger goniometer and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were evaluated. Results: The median age of the analyzed patients was 30 (18-69) years. The most frequent mechanism of injury was fall (52.4%) and the most frequent injured finger was the fourth. The median follow-up duration for these patients was 25 (16.25-31.75) months. The median DASH score was 4.16 (0.00-7.50) and the median VAS score was 4 (0.00-8.00). The median range of motion of the proximal interphalangeal joint was 90° (80.00-98.75°), while that of the distal interphalangeal joint was 55° (36.25-80.00°). Union was achieved in all cases. Condylar fractures were observed in two patients over the course of follow-up. Conclusion: The treatment of interphalangeal joint fractures or fracture dislocations by the pin-and-rubber method was confirmed to be an easily applicable and effective treatment method that does not cause a significant loss range of motion.