Purpose: The management of Dorsal Fracture Dislocations of the PIP joint is challenging, especially for the unstable ones. Complications are common and often lead to functional disability. Many treatment methods have been described in the past, illustrating that no optimal solution has been found. In the Hemi-Hamate autograft technique, introduced by Hastings in 1999, a reconstruction of the volar lip joint surface and stabilization of the joint is achieved. This autograft can be seen as a model of a non vascularised bone-cartilage composite graft. The purpose of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the long term results of the hemi-hamate autograft technique in unstable PIP fracture-dorsal dislocations with special reference to posttraumatic degenerative arthritis common in non vascularized joint transfers.

Materials and Methods: We report the results of 9 patients operated between November 2002 and March 2008 and with a minimum follow up of 26 months. The mean follow-up time was 56 months. There were 6 men and 3 women with a mean age at operation of 45 years (23–66). All fractures were unstable with comminution of the volar lip. In 3 patients the dominant hand was involved. The middle finger was injured in 4 patients, the ring finger in 4 and the little finger in 1 patient. All patients were treated with the operation technique described by Hastings and reanalyzed by Williams. The volar base of middle phalanx was debrided and reconstructed by a pre-sized autograft harvested from the dorsal side of the homolateral hamatum, and fixed with mini screws. A standard rehabilitation program was used postoperatively. Clinical (ROM, grip strength), radiographic and subjective outcomes (VAS) were examined in all patients.

Results: At the last follow up, the injured finger had an average active ROM at the MCP joints of 97o (90o–115o) at the PIP 69 o (45 o –95 o) and at the DIP 59 o (30 o –90 o). The extension lag in the PIP joints were mean 10 o (0 o –30 o). Grip strength of the injured hand was mean 89% of the uninjured contralateral side. On radiographs, severe arthritis in the treated PIP was found in 2 of 9 patients. Another 2 patients had degenerative arthritis in several PIP. The average subjective score of patient’s satisfaction was 85 (20–100) in a scale 0–100 (100 best).

Conclusions: The Hemi-Hamate autograft technique is a technically demanding operation but an alternative to arthrodesis or primary joint arthroplasty in the treatment of Fracture-Dorsal Dislocations of PIP joint. Our results are good and comparable to previously reported results (Williams 2001). Some deterioration will occur regarding joint osteoarthritis but a high degree of subjective patient satisfaction was found. Further studies and methods to decrease the osteoarthritis would be preferential.