Hand fractures: everything you need to know
Written in association with:In this article below, Mr Medhat Zekry, a highly revered consultant orthopaedic hand, wrist, and elbow surgeon, tells us all we need to know about hand fractures.
What are the most common causes of hand fractures?
It depends on factors such as age, mechanism of injury, quality of the bone, general health, and any other medical conditions. Wrist fractures, metacarpal fractures, and finger fractures are by far commonly encountered in daily practice. Less common but nonetheless serious injuries include scaphoid or other small-bone carpal fractures and dislocations in the hand.
When is a hand fracture considered to be severe or serious?
A fracture that is initially associated with dislocations and displacement are deemed severe. This type of injury needs urgent treatment to reduce the dislocation and treat the fracture to avoid serious complications. Unfortunately, some of these dislocations can sometimes be missed during initial assessment.
Time is an important factor when it comes to treating hand fractures. Delayed treatment might lead to complications such as delayed healing, stiffness, and/or chronic pain.
How are hand fractures diagnosed?
Clinical assessment is the key to accurately diagnosing hand and wrist fractures. Investigations depend on the nature of the suspected fractures. To start with, thorough X-ray views of the injured part of the hand need to be carried out, while further scanning such as CT scans, MRI scans, or ultrasound scans, can also be carried out if needed.
Is surgery ever required for hand fractures? If so, when?
When surgery is an option, many factors need to be taken into consideration, such as age, daily activities, degree of displacement of the fracture, and any existing medical conditions. However, fractures and dislocations that are associated with vascular or nerve compromise should be surgically treated as soon as possible, as irrecoverable permanent damage could occur if emergency surgery is not performed.
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