A prospective study of dynamic treatment of fracture phalanx and metacarpals of the hand with Kirschner-wire fixation/external fixator and finger splint: Daycare management (30 cases)

Abstract

Introduction: Fractures of the phalanx and metacarpals are some of the most frequently encountered orthopedics injuries and constitute between 14-28% of all visits to emergency department which comprises 46% of the hand fracture and out of that mostly involved are the proximal phalanx and metacarpal neck fracture are most common and then the middle and distal phalanx and the base of metacarpal. The commonest complication with surgical treatment were stiff painful joints due to prolonged immobilization at fracture sites. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the functional outcome after surgical stabilization of metacarpal and phalanx fracture on day care basis. Materials And Methods: In our study we treated 30 patients who came to our hospital by fixation either with K wire or external fixation or hybrid fixation under local anaesthesia depending on the type of fracture between 2013 to 2014 with the average age 28 years with the youngest being 18 years and the oldest being 41 years with transverse, spiral, oblique closed fracture, grade 1 compound fracture, intraarticular, extraarticular, comminuted and non comminuted fracture of phalanx and metacarpals.These were day care treatment. Patient was allowed to begin his daily routine work from post operative day l. During this course the operated site was protected with splinting. Results: Clinical Outcomes were assessed as Excellent, Good, Satisfactory and Poor. Radiological assessment was done by taking x-ray to check radiological union.There were 24 cases had excellent outcome, 5 cases had good outcome and only 1 case had satisfactory outcome which occurred due to mal-union. There were 3 cases of pin-tract infection which subsided with oral antibiotics, and 3 cases of malunion. Conclusion: This was a day care procedure, patient were admitted, treated and discharged on the same day & encouraged to begin mobilization of the joints of hands from day 1.