Hand injuries in polytrauma patients.

Abstract

Hand and forearm injuries are relatively rare in polytrauma patients; their incidence is estimated at 2-5%. Hand and forearm injuries are usually not life threatening, and, therefore are considered of secondary importance, replaced by serious injuries of other body parts. However, they should be treated immediately after stabilization of the general condition of patients, as their delayed management may result in serious dysfunction of the hand. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, distribution and methods of treatment of hand and forearm injuries in patients treated at the Polytrauma Centre of the SPSK 1 in Szczecin over the period of 4 years. Medical records of 16 patients, 11 men (65%) and 5 women (35%) with a mean age of 34 years (range 19-62) who were treated at the Polytrauma Centre and sustained an additional injury to the hand and/or forearm were analyzed. Medical records of 16 patients, 11 men (65%) and 5 women (35%) at the mean age of 34 years (range 19-62) who were treated in Polytrauma Centre and sustained an additional injury to the hand and/or forearm were analysed. The most common component of polytrauma with associated hand injury was major bone fractures (spine, pelvis and extremities) - 12 cases (70%), followed by chest - 11 (65%), maxillofacial - 9 (53%), brain - 8 (47%) and abdominal injuries - 5 (29%). The most common injury of the distal upper limb was fracture of the distal radius - 9 patients (53%). Two patients sustained excessive crush-degloving injuries which were the primary cause of their admission to the Polytrauma Centre. Nine patients required surgery, predominantly fixation of the distal radius with a plate. All patients survived. The importance of the correct management of hand injuries performed promptly after stabilization of the general condition of polytraumatized patients was emphasized.