Biomaterial Database

Ulnar drift and metacarpophalangeal joint subluxation in the rheumatoid hand: review of the pathogenesis. 1977

L L Wilkes

Ulnar drift and metacarpophalangeal joint subluxation are complicated abnormalities with a wide variety of causes. This paper reviews certain anatomic and mechanical features of the normal hand which predispose toward these abnormalities. In the rheumatoid hand, the major deforming forces include extensor forces, flexor forces, intrinsic forces, and forces from the wrist and carpometacarpal joints. Ulnar drift and metacarpophalangeal joint subluxation result not from any singular cause, but from a combination of all or many of these forces acting upon a joint rendered unstable by rheumatoid synovitis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007049	Iatrogenic Disease	Any adverse condition in a patient occurring as the result of treatment by a physician, surgeon, or other health professional, especially infections acquired by a patient during the course of treatment.	Hospital-Acquired Condition,Condition, Hospital-Acquired,Conditions, Hospital-Acquired,Disease, Iatrogenic,Diseases, Iatrogenic,Hospital Acquired Condition,Hospital-Acquired Conditions,Iatrogenic Diseases
D008662	Metacarpophalangeal Joint	The articulation between a metacarpal bone and a phalanx.	Joint, Metacarpophalangeal,Joints, Metacarpophalangeal,Metacarpophalangeal Joints
D008663	Metacarpus	The region of the HAND between the WRIST and the FINGERS.
D003286	Contracture	Prolonged shortening of the muscle or other soft tissue around a joint, preventing movement of the joint.	Contractures
D004204	Joint Dislocations	Displacement of bones from their normal positions at a joint.	Inferior Dislocation,Joint Subluxations,Luxatio Erecta,Dislocation, Joint,Dislocations, Joint,Inferior Dislocations,Joint Dislocation,Joint Subluxation,Subluxation, Joint,Subluxations, Joint
D005384	Finger Joint	The articulation between the head of one phalanx and the base of the one distal to it, in each finger.	Interphalangeal Joint of Hand,Interphalangeal Joint of Finger,Finger Interphalangeal Joint,Finger Interphalangeal Joints,Finger Joints,Hand Interphalangeal Joint,Hand Interphalangeal Joints,Joint, Finger,Joints, Finger
D006225	Hand	The distal part of the arm beyond the wrist in humans and primates, that includes the palm, fingers, and thumb.	Hands
D006227	Hand Deformities, Acquired	Deformities of the hand, or a part of the hand, acquired after birth as the result of injury or disease.	Acquired Hand Deformities,Acquired Hand Deformity,Deformities, Acquired Hand,Deformity, Acquired Hand,Hand Deformity, Acquired
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001696	Biomechanical Phenomena	The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces.	Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic