Mallet Finger Specialist
Maryland Orthopedic Specialists
Orthopedic Surgeons located in Bethesda, MD, Rockville, MD, & Germantown, MD
Mallet finger is a tendon injury that is causing by jamming the tip of the finger. These injuries are treated by Dr. Peter G. Fitzgibbons, MD at The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics: Maryland Orthopedic Specialists Division. Dr. Fitzgibbons performed fellowship training in hand, wrist, and elbow surgery through the Harvard Hand & Upper Extremity Fellowship based at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. With locations in both Germantown, Rockville, and Bethesda, Maryland, he and a team of orthopaedists, hand therapists, and physical therapists offer a comprehensive range of services covering the diagnosis and treatment of mallet fingers.
Mallet Finger Q & A
What is a mallet finger?
A mallet finger is a tendon injury that occurs when the finger is jammed and the tendon that straightens the joint at the end of the finger is pulled off. Sometimes there is also a small fracture. The term describes the appearance of the finger, where the end of the finger droops down because the tendon is no longer attached.
What is the treatment for a mallet finger?
The vast majority of mallet fingers will heal in a splint that holds the joint straight 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 6 weeks. Sometimes there is an associated fracture that causes the joint at the end of the finger to fall into an abnormal position. In rare cases, a procedure is done to move the bones back into place and hold them with pins for 4 to 6 weeks in order for the joint to heal in an appropriate position.
What is surgery for a mallet finger like?
Surgery for a mallet finger is an outpatient procedure and can be done with local anesthesia. Pins are placed to hold the bones and these are taken out in the office after 4 to 6 weeks. Dr. Fitzgibbons performs most of these procedures at the Massachusetts Avenue Surgery Center, an outpatient surgery center that provides a safe, patient-oriented experience in a friendly and comfortable environment. Once the bones are healed and pins are out, hand therapy is begun under the direction of Stephanie
Clement, CHT, our certified hand therapist.
Services
-
ACLmore info
-
Arthritismore info
-
Biceps Tendon Repairmore info
-
Cubital Tunnelmore info
-
Radial Tunnelmore info
-
Elbow Fracturesmore info
-
Tennis Elbowmore info
-
Little League Elbowmore info
-
Golfer's Elbowmore info
-
Mallet Fingermore info
-
Mucous Cystmore info
-
Retinacular Cystmore info
-
Skier's Thumbmore info
-
Hand & Wrist Tendon Lacerationsmore info
-
Hand Arthritismore info
-
Hand Dislocationmore info
-
Hand Dupuytrensmore info
-
Hand Fracturesmore info
-
Hand Tendon Lacerationmore info
-
Hand Tendonitismore info
-
Scaphoid Fracturemore info
-
TFCCmore info
-
Wrist Arthritismore info
-
Wrist Fracturemore info
-
PRPmore info
-
Carpal Tunnelmore info
-
Physical Therapymore info
-
De Quervain's Tenosynovitismore info
-
Rotator Cuffmore info
-
Shoulder Replacementmore info
-
Foot and Ankle Fracturesmore info
-
Foot and Ankle Tendon Repairmore info
-
Ankle Arthroscopymore info
-
Plantar Fascia Surgerymore info
-
Minimal Incision Surgerymore info
-
Foot Corrective Surgeriesmore info
-
Shoulder Surgerymore info
-
Knee Replacementmore info
-
Knee Surgerymore info
-
X-Raymore info