Percutaneous treatment of carpal, metacarpal, and phalangeal injuries.

Percutaneous fixation of hand fractures is a common technique that takes advantage of the subcutaneous nature of hand bones, their small size, and their limited loading potential for stress placed on hardware. Percutaneous wire fixation supplements cast fixation when plaster cannot hold particular reductions, and allow surgical fixation with limited postoperative swelling. In the first part of the current study, the types of wires that are used for hand fixation, fluoroscopy, helpful instruments, and the basic techniques used for this type of surgery are discussed.

Radial nerve injury after routine peripheral vein cannulation.

The dorso-radial aspect of the wrist and hand is a common location for intravenous (IV) cannulation prior to anesthesia. The sensory branch of the radial nerve lies superficially in this area, and it can be injured during routine insertion of IV catheters. In this case, the nerve was lacerated during insertion and a painful neuroma developed after elective surgery and anesthesia.

Ossification and pseudoepiphysis formation in the "nonepiphyseal" end of bones of the hands and feet.

Metacarpals, metatarsals, and phalanges were studied to assess the developmental morphology of "secondary" ossification in the "nonepiphyseal" ends of these bones as well as the formation of the pseudoepiphysis as an epiphyseal ossification variant. Both direct ossification extension from the metaphysis into the epiphysis and pseudoepiphysis formation preceded, and continued to be more mature than, formation and expansion of the "classic" epiphyseal (secondary) ossification center at the opposite end of each specific bone. Direct metaphyseal to epiphyseal ossification usually started centrally and expanded hemispherically, replacing both physeal and epiphyseal cartilage simultaneously.

Nonepiphyseal ossification and pseudoepiphysis formation.

Direct ossification extending from the metaphysis into the epiphysis preceded and continued to be more mature than formation and expansion of the typical epiphyseal ossification center at the opposite end of each longitudinal bone of the hand and foot. Direct metaphyseal to epiphyseal ossification usually started centrally and expanded hemispherically, replacing both physeal and epiphyseal cartilage simultaneously. When remnants of the "physis" were retained, however, while juxtaposed epiphyseal cartilage was replaced, a pseudoepiphysis formed.