Published online May 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i13.3038
Peer-review started: November 16, 2022
First decision: February 14, 2023
Revised: February 19, 2023
Accepted: April 4, 2023
Article in press: April 4, 2023
Published online: May 6, 2023
Processing time: 159 Days and 0.5 Hours
Closed rupture of the little and ring finger flexor tendons caused by the hamate is mostly associated with a fracture or nonunion of the hamate hook. Only one case of a closed rupture of the finger flexor tendon caused by osteochondroma in the hamate has been reported. Here, we present a case study to highlight the possibility of hamate osteochondroma as a rare cause of finger closed flexor tendon rupture based on our clinical experience and literature review.
A 48-year-old man who had been a rice-field farmer for 7–8 h a day for the past 30 years visited our clinic due to the loss of right little finger and ring finger flexion involving both the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints. The patient was diagnosed with a complete rupture of the ring and little finger flexors because of the hamate and was pathologically diagnosed with an osteochondroma. Exploratory surgery was performed, and a complete rupture of the ring and little finger flexors due to an osteophyte-like lesion of the hamate was observed, which was pathologically diagnosed as an osteochondroma.
One should consider that osteochondroma in the hamate may be the cause of closed tendon ruptures.
Core Tip: It is not easy to diagnose osteochondroma in the hamate. Therefore, osteochondroma in the hamate should be considered as a cause when dealing with patients with closed ruptures of the finger flexor tendon. Based on our experience, we also suggest that the surgical treatment of these patients requires careful pre-operative planning and preparation.