[The traumatic boutonnière deformity]

[Treatment of extensor tendon injuries of the hand]

The extensor apparatus of the hand is a complex system consisting of extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, which in combination enable the individual extension of the fingers. Extensor tendon injuries of the hand are frequent injuries and the operative or conservative treatment options are determined by the localization and involvement of osseus structures. For an optimal outcome of the treatment of extensor tendon injuries, correct diagnostics and a consistent hand aftercare are absolutely essential. The crucial decision making regarding the further procedure starts with the initial patient treatment, ideally on the day of trauma.

Pediatric boutonniere deformity after blunt closed traumatic injury

The boutonniere deformity (BD) is a well-described condition in hand surgery. Treatment of acute traumatic BD includes splinting of the proximal interphalangeal joint in extension for 4 to 5 weeks, which often leads to acceptable results. However, the chronic BD is more problematic and often requires surgical intervention with poor functional outcomes. Boutonniere deformity is extremely rare in the pediatric population. We present the case of a 9-year-old girl who presented to the emergency department with an acute traumatic BD after a fall. Being an uncommon entity in this patient population, the patient was referred to the plastic surgery clinic and was subsequently treated appropriately with splinting, resulting in favorable results as early as 4 weeks. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of BD in the pediatric patient population. Recognition and timely management of BD in a pediatric patient should not be overlooked to obtain favorable results.