Clinical outcomes in management of dislocation of carpometacarpal joints of hand: a rare orthopaedic presentation

Background: Dislocation of carpo-metacarpal (CMC) joints especially involving the 2nd and 3rd or paired dislocations, presents a rare pattern of orthopaedics hand injuries. They are associated with high energy trauma usually involving motorbike accidents. Severe soft tissue inflammation over the affected hand and associated injuries often makes detection of these fractures difficult. They require prompt management at presentation. Failure to be diagnosed and treated at early stage leads to joint stiffness, restrictions of wrist movement, deformity and sometimes ruptures of tendons crossing the wrist. Most of them require open reduction and internal fixation for stabilization. The objective of the study was to clinically evaluate outcomes in management of carpometacarpal joint dislocations.Methods: We prospectively studied 6 cases of CMC dislocation presenting at average of 1week from the original injury. All were clinically and radiologically evaluated. 3 cases were managed with open reduction and internal fixation with K wire and 1with closed manipulation and percutaneous k wire fixation and 1 case by arthrodesis of CMC joint. Functional assessment was done with Quick DASH score at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.Results: All the patients went on to have good functional recovery. The average quick DASH score showed improvement from 77.39 to 4.07 over 1 year follow-up. Conclusions: Careful and meticulous examinations of hands are necessary in high velocity trauma cases to avoid missing diagnosis of CMC dislocation. ORIF remains the gold standard treatment which can also be used for cases presenting late, followed by aggressive post-op physiotherapy can lead to excellent recovery of hand function

Clinical outcomes in management of unstable distal radius fractures treated with external fixation and internal fixation: a prospective comparative study

Background: Management of Distal Radius fracture that are inherently unstable is still a matter of debate. There is no conclusive evidence that support one surgical fixation method over another. An attempt was made to analyze patients treated with Ex-Fix and Internal-Fixation for unstable distal radius fractures and evaluate the clinical efficacy of Ex-fix using principles of ligamentotaxis and Internal-fixation and compare functional recovery, fracture healing time and complications.Methods: A prospective trial was undertaken at our hospital with 35 patients,all aged >20 yrs with closed distal radius fracture and divided into two groups: group I (Ex-fix with or without percutaneous k-wire, and JESS) and group II (Int-Fixation) including 14 and 21 patients, respectively. Periodic clinical examination and x-ray review was carried out to find out fracture union, and functional assessment. Patients were followed up for 1 year, 6 months average.Results: Group I consumed significant less operative time, fluoroscopic exposure, reduced hospital stay, quicker post-operative pain relief. Quick DASH score were significantly high in elderly treated with Ex-Fix in comparison to young in which DASH score was higher with internal-fixator. Functional recovery was early with int-fixation but post-operative wrist stiffness was also higher. 2 cases of delayed wound healing &1 case of pin tract infection with ex-fix application was observed. Conclusions: Internal-fixation remains the treatment of choice for unstable distal radius fracture involving the articular surface and in the young, while ext-fixation can be considered as a primary treatment modality in the extra-articular fractures in young or even intra-articular fractures in the elderly

Clinical outcomes in management of dislocation of carpometacarpal joints of hand: a rare orthopaedic presentation

Background: Dislocation of carpo-metacarpal (CMC) joints especially involving the 2nd and 3rd or paired dislocations, presents a rare pattern of orthopaedics hand injuries. They are associated with high energy trauma usually involving motorbike accidents. Severe soft tissue inflammation over the affected hand and associated injuries often makes detection of these fractures difficult. They require prompt management at presentation. Failure to be diagnosed and treated at early stage leads to joint stiffness, restrictions of wrist movement, deformity and sometimes ruptures of tendons crossing the wrist. Most of them require open reduction and internal fixation for stabilization. The objective of the study was to clinically evaluate outcomes in management of carpometacarpal joint dislocations.Methods: We prospectively studied 6 cases of CMC dislocation presenting at average of 1week from the original injury. All were clinically and radiologically evaluated. 3 cases were managed with open reduction and internal fixation with K wire and 1with closed manipulation and percutaneous k wire fixation and 1 case by arthrodesis of CMC joint. Functional assessment was done with Quick DASH score at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.Results: All the patients went on to have good functional recovery. The average quick DASH score showed improvement from 77.39 to 4.07 over 1 year follow-up. Conclusions: Careful and meticulous examinations of hands are necessary in high velocity trauma cases to avoid missing diagnosis of CMC dislocation. ORIF remains the gold standard treatment which can also be used for cases presenting late, followed by aggressive post-op physiotherapy can lead to excellent recovery of hand function