Hand Fracture Surgery

Our bodies consist of approximately 206-213 bones, out of which 27 are in our hands, which are divided into three parts: the hand, wrist, and forearm. These bones present in our hands are divided into three sub-categories: 

1. Phalanges, 2. Carpal, 3. Meta-carpal bones. These bones play a significant role in the proper functioning of your hands. Injury or damage to one of these bones could result in excruciating pain and dysfunction of the hand. 

A hand fracture basically means a crack in one of the bones located in your hand. It includes damage to small bones of the fingers (Phalanges), long bones found in the palm (Meta-carpals) and small bones located in the wrist (carpals), and bones located in the forearms (radius and ulna). 

It means a crack or a break in any bone that is situated in your entire hand is a hand fracture. The treatment might require wearing a cast or a splint for some time, depending on the severity of your injury. 

Types of hand fractures:

Given below is a list of common hand fractures:

1. Boxer's fracture: As the name suggests, this type of fracture mainly occurs in professional boxers and fighters due to their highly-stressful hand activities. It occurs when a person punches an object, and this type of fracture mainly affects the last four metacarpal bones. This type of fracture is also known as a scrapper's fracture. 

1. Rolando fracture: This type of fracture is a high-risk intra-articular fracture that mainly affects the base of the metacarpal bones. It is the initial bone that forms a thumb. In most cases, it occurs in the shape of T or Y. It is a fracture that takes place at the base of the thumb and is identical to the Bennett fracture, and treatment of Rolando fracture is also more complicated. 

1. Bennett fracture: This type of hand fracture occurs at the base of the first metacarpal bone and extends to the CMC (carpometacarpal) joint. This fracture is one of the most common fractures of the thumb. In most cases, due to this fracture, dislocation of the carpometacarpal can occur. 

1. Wrist bones fracture: Many small bones (carpals) are present in our wrists. These tiny bones are interconnected and responsible for our hands' proper movement. Damage or cracks to these ones might result in the death of the injured bone, which has undesired outcomes like paralyzed hands or unbearable pain. 

1. Forearms fractures: Our forearms consist of two bones, called the radius and the ulna. Our forearms play a significant role in the flexibility and movement of our hands. With the absence of a forearm or an injured forearm, it becomes difficult to perform routine tasks. When the radius or the ulna is fractured, it restricts the movement of the whole hand, as it works as a connecting link between the biceps and the hands. 

Causes of hand fractures:

Given below is a list of the most common causes of hand fractures:

• Falls: When an individual falls, they might try to neglect the fall by taking support of their hand. When a person tries to save himself from a fall, he tries to stop the fall with his hand, which puts excess force on the hands and results in a fracture.

• Motor vehicle accidents: When people disobey traffic rules or Overspeed, it usually results in a motor vehicle accident. And these accidents exert too much and immediate pressure on hands, which results in hand fractures, especially if you're not wearing proper safety gear.

• Crush injuries: Many times, getting your hand crushed between two heavy things can be the reason for severe injuries such as hand fractures.  

• Lifting weights: Multiple bones are present in your hands, and each bone plays a significant role in your hand's complete movement and potential. Some of these bones are smaller and weaker as compared to the others, due to which they might get damaged when you try to lift a weight that exceeds your limit, which can lead to a hand fracture.

• Physical activities: Most physical activities involve repetitive movements of your limbs. It means it is necessary to ensure that an excessive amount of stress is not being exerted on your hands, and when they play sports without proper safety equipment, then it might result in a hand fracture.

Symptoms of hand fractures: 

Symptoms of hand fractures vary as per the affected area and severity of the injury. Nevertheless, some common symptoms of hand fractures are enlisted below:

• Inflammation
• Tenderness
• Redness
• Bruising
• Stiffness
• The usual shape of the affected area.
• Bone coming out of the skin.
• Difficulty in moving a limb.
• Unbearable pain, which gets worse over time.
• Difficulty in grasping things.
• Inability to perform small tasks.

Diagnosis:

There are different methods to diagnose a medical condition, and the selection of diagnosing procedures varies on other factors, such as the type and severity of the medical condition. 

Given below is a list of methods that are used to diagnose hand fractures:

1. Physical examination: As soon as you will go to your doctor, they will ask you about the symptoms you're facing. They will even ask you to perform specific hand movements to recognize the severity and type of your medical condition based on your activity of the injured limb. 

1. X-rays: X-rays provide a detailed picture of the whole underlying situation of the injured area. That clear image helps the doctor identify the underlying condition, type, and severity of the injury you're facing. These x-rays are also helpful in choosing the best treatment method for the patient and help in knowing how much time the damage will take to recover fully.

Treatment:

There are mainly two methods of treatment when it comes to hand fractures:

1. Non-surgical method: According to experts, most hand fractures can be treated with non-surgical procedures. If a fracture is slightly displaced from an acceptable position, then it can be manipulated into a proper place by the doctor through various matters. 

This method of treatment is known as closed reduction. Nevertheless, a cast or a splint might be essential to keep the bones stable, and the hand immobilized for some time so that the bone does not get displaced again. 

Then your doctor will take another x-ray of your hand after some weeks of the treatment. This second x-ray helps the doctor know the fracture's recovery ratio and ensures that the bone hasn't been displaced again. 

After that, you'd have to wear the cast/splint for one or two more months so that the broken bone gets enough time to get attached again and does not get displaced due to early movements of the hand. And as soon as the cast/splint is removed, you can enroll yourself in physiotherapy, which is inevitable if you wish to regain your hand's original strength, potential, and movement. 

Surgical method: Surgery becomes inevitable for hand fractures that can't be treated with non-surgical procedures. These types of hand fractures require an incision to reposition the displaced bones into their original positions. Moreover, surgeries are mainly necessary for open fractures. Open fractures are fractures wherein the upper skin is damaged, and the broken bone comes out of the skin. 

For such major hand fractures, surgical methods become inevitable. Doctors make an incision and readjust the displaced bone. After the bone is back at its original place, objects such as screws, strings, and rods are used to grasp the broken bones together until they get rejoined. 

A cast or splint is provided in both surgical and non-surgical methods of treatment. And as soon as the cast/splint is removed, it is advisable to start physiotherapy to regain your hand's lost movement and potential.

Complications: 

The complications originating from the hand fractures are as follows - 

• Stiffness in hands and fingers due to cast/splint.
• Prolonged pain and stiffness.
• Difficulty in lifting heavy weights.
• Risk of incision getting infected.
• Losing complete potential and movement permanently.

Why choose Cutis hospital for hand fractures?

Unbiased diagnosis

Many types of small and big bones are present in a human hand, and some of them are weaker and smaller as compared to others. Despite their size and origin, all bones play a significant role in the movement and flexibility of your hand. It is necessary to conduct all the mandatory tests and follow the diagnosis process properly, to know the type, place, & severity of the injury. Doctors at Cutis perform thorough diagnoses so that the most suitable treatment method can be chosen for the patient. 

Thorough knowledge

Before opting for a treatment, it is necessary to analyze the diagnoses to acquire knowledge about the origin, seriousness, and treatment for an injury. Choosing the best treatment requires an adequate amount of expertise to confirm the type and severity of the fracture. Doctors at Cutis consist of complete theoretical knowledge and years of practical experience in treating hand fractures. These experts try to treat all fractures with non-surgical methods and only opt for surgery when it is inevitable.

Advanced equipment

Not only Cutis consists of the best doctors, but also it has the best and most advanced equipment for the patients. These advanced machines allow doctors to treat their patients appropriately and help them recover at a faster pace. The advanced equipment, tools, and process will result in speedier recovery while also saving the time and other resources of the patient.