Role of Upper Limb Elevation in the Management of Hand Edema in a Patient with External Fixator Our Experience

Abstract

Upper limb edema after any trauma or after any surgical procedure is very common. The edema of the hands can cause many complications including the stiffness of the joints. So, the edema of the hands should be managed promptly to get optimal results. There are many methods to reduce hand edema. Hand elevation is one of the time-tested methods to deal with hand edema. Hand elevation can be done by various methods. But a certain number of patients who are on skeletal stabilization with an external fixator can find it difficult to elevate using a conventional cuff and collar or pillow. In such a patient we tried hand elevation using a cloth and an IV stand. The hand circumference of the patient was measured daily using a fabric tape and the findings were noted serially for two weeks results showed that edema reduced considerably following elevation. The method is easy, safe, reproducible, and less costly.