Common Conditions of the Hand and Wrist

Question 1

What is Colles’ fracture?

Answer 1

AColles’ is a fracture of thedistal radius. Get Posterior displacement of the distal fragment. Dinner fork deformity.

Question 2

What is Smith’s fracture?

Answer 2

A smith’s fracture is a fracture of the distal radius. The distal fracture fragment is displaced, as opposed to a Colles’ fracture which the fragment is displaced dorsally.

Question 3

What carpal bone is most commonly fractured?

Answer 3

The Scaphoid

Question 4

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Answer 4

Autoimmune disease where the body attack’s its own joints.

Question 5

What is osteoarthritis?

Answer 5

Caused by mechanical wear and tear on the joints.

Question 6

What parts of the hand are commonly affected by RA?

Answer 6

Swelling of the PIP and MCP joints in the hand is a common early finding of RA

Question 7

What parts of hand are commonly affected by OA?

Answer 7

The DIPJ is the area of the body most affected by osteoarthritis, the CMJ at the base of the thumb is the second most affected.

Question 8

What hard bony swellings are a feature of OA?

Answer 8

Heberden’s nodules

Question 9

Where do heberden’s nodules form?

Answer 9

They can develop at the DIPJ joint

Question 10

What is fractured in a boxers fracture?

Answer 10

Fracture of the 4th or 5th metacarpal bone of the hand, occurs from punching with a clenched fist

Question 11

What is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

Answer 11

Inflammation of the tendons on the side of the wrist at the base of the thumb

• EPB
• APL

Question 12

What is the Carpal tunnel?

Answer 12

Pathway through the palmar side of the wrist

Tunnel is bounded by the bones of the wrist and the flexor retinaculum

Question 13

What happens in carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 13

Get compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist into the carpal tunnel

Question 14

What are the main symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 14

Pain
Numbness
Tingling in the fingers
Wasting of the thumb muscles

Question 15

Where is the ulnar nerve typically impinged at the elbow?

Answer 15

The cubital tunnel

Question 16

What forms the cubital tunnel?

Answer 16

The medial epicondyle of the humerus, the olecranon process and the tendious arch joining the humeral and ulnar heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris

Question 17

What muscles are affected with elbow ulnar nerve entrapment?

Answer 17

Flexor carpi ulnaris
Medial half of the flexor digitorum profundus
Ulnar muscles of the hand

Question 18

In what canal does the wrist pass through in the wrist?

Answer 18

Guyon’s canal

Question 19

Why is the ulnar claw more pronounced in wrist entrapment?

Answer 19

The ulnar nerve also innervates the ulnar half of the flexor digitiroum profundus muscle

As a result flexion of the IP joints is weakened which reduces the claw like appearance of the hand

Question 20

What is dupuytren’s contracture?

Answer 20

Flexion contracture of the hand due to palmar fibromatosis, in which the fingers bend towards the palm and cannot be fully extended

Question 21

What group of people are commonly affected by carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 21

Trauma
Rheumatoid arthritis 
Acromegaly 
Myxoedema
Pregnancy 
Diabetes

Question 22

What is the test for carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 22

Phalen’s manoeuvre, hold wrist in forced flexion for 60 seconds to elicit pain

Question 23

What is the cause of median nerve damage at the elbow?

Answer 23

A supraepicondylar fracture of the humerus

Question 24

What muscles are affected in median nerve elbow damage?

Answer 24

All flexors of the forearm, except flexor carpi ulnaris and the medial half of the flexor digitorum profundus

Median muscles of the hand

Question 25

How does elbow median nerve damage present?

Answer 25

Inability to pronate
Weak flexion
Hand of benediction
Ape hand