Objective: To assess the type of fractures of metacarpal and phalanges of hand and their treatment plan, investigate the risk factors (infection, segmental bone loss, associated soft tissue injuries) for the development of delayed union of the fracture site.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery Unit, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi. It included 120 patients who attended Accident and Emergency Department with metacarpals and phalanges fractures during August 2005 to January 2006. Severely traumatized patients or patients with amputated hand or digits were excluded. The data was collected through hand injury chart which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data was analyzed by SPSS version-10.

Results: In 120 patients with 226 fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges male to female ratio was 5:1. Metacarpal fractures were 38.9% and the fracture of the phalanges was 61.1%. Oblique fractures were 47%, transverse 28.3%, comminuted 13.27%, spiral 8.9%, and avulsion fractures were 2.6%. Surgically treated patients were 78.3% while 21.7% were managed conservatively. For fixation of fractures Kirschner wires (K-wire) were used in 89.36% cases, miniplates and lag screw in 4.25% and external fixators in 2.1%. Infection was found in 5 (2.2%) of the total fractures, out of these 2/5 (40%) had developed non union of the fracture site. Bony defect was found in 30 (13.3%) of the total fractures, of these 4/30 (13.3%) developed non union. Associated soft tissue injury was found in 130 (57.5%) and of these 11/130 (8.46%) developed non union.

Conclusion: Most of the fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges were oblique in configuration, followed by transverse fractures. More then 75% of these fractures where treated surgically. K-wiring was the most commonly performed procedure. Infection, segmental bone loss and associated soft tissue injuries were predisposed to non union in small percentage of cases.

Download full-text PDF

Source

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

metacarpals phalanges
16
fractures metacarpals
12
fractures
12
associated soft
12
soft tissue
12
risk factors
8
infection segmental
8
segmental bone
8
bone loss
8
loss associated
8

Similar Publications

Bones develop to structurally balance strength and mobility. Bone developmental dynamics are influenced by whether an animal is ambulatory at birth ( precocial). Precocial species, such as goats, develop advanced skeletal maturity in utero, making them useful models for studying the dynamics of bone formation under mechanical load.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Treatment of long finger metacarpophalangeal arthritis using HAPY® pyrocarbon interposition implants: a study of 34 cases.

Hand Surg Rehabil

December 2024

Institut Main Nantes Atlantique, Boulevard Charles-Gautier, 44800 Saint-Herblain, France. Electronic address:

Introduction: Destruction of the metacarpophalangeal joint can result in disabling pain and stiffness. Several therapeutic options are available, including pyrocarbon interposition implants. The primary endpoint of this study was assessment of clinical and radiographic outcomes in 34 patients treated with HAPY® pyrocarbon interposition implants (Tornier, Grenoble, France) with a minimum follow-up of 3 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In the context of post-traumatic hand rehabilitation, stiffness of the hand joints limits the range of motion (ROM), grip strength, and the possibility of performing simple grasps. Robotic rehabilitation has been widely adopted for hand treatment with neurological patients, but its application in the orthopaedic scenario remains limited. In this paper, a pilot study targeting this population is presented, where the rehabilitation is performed using a powered finger exoskeleton, namely I-Phlex.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this study was to determine the necessity and cost-effectiveness of radiologists' interpretation of plain hand radiographs for diagnosing and managing different hand pathologies in the plastic surgery outpatient clinic setting. Through a retrospective cohort study, we identified new patient encounters from January 2021 to December 2022 in an outpatient hand clinic. We included patients with radiology reports that were submitted subsequent to the surgeon's consult note in clinic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hand injuries are common in children. Most simple pediatric hand fractures do not require surgery and can be treated with protective immobilization, yielding good outcomes. A recent institutional audit revealed significant practice variation in managing these children with many being overtreated with unnecessary follow-up visits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!