Thirty-one patients who had transfer of the flexor digitorum
superficialis tendons to the flexor digitorum profundus tendons en masse in
thirty-four non-functional spastic hands were examined at an average of
fifty months postoperatively. All of the patients had had a clenched-fist
deformity preoperatively, with severe hygienic problems of the palmar skin
and no active function of the hand. Postoperatively, all of the hands were
in an open position, which allowed for good hygiene of the palmar surface.
A minor wound infection developed in three patients. Neurectomy of the
motor branch of the ulnar nerve distal to the Guyon canal was needed for
control of spasticity of the intrinsic muscles in twenty-five hands. An
intrinsic-minus deformity did not develop in any of the hands that had
neurectomy of the ulnar nerve, although an intrinsic-plus deformity
developed in seven of the nine hands that did not have a neurectomy.