Transposition of the 5th to the 4th ray by osteotomy of the hamate.

The authors present 5 cases of transposition of the 5th to the 4th ray according to Le Viet's method. This is indicated for the aesthetic and functional defects that follow total or subtotal amputation of the ring finger. The technique consists of radial transposition of the whole ray and intracarpal arthrodesis after cuneiform osteotomy of the hamate bone. It is easier to perform than the traditional metacarpal osteotomy and the results were uniformly good.