Hand Surgery Flashcards
What is a Bennett’s fracture?
A fracture-dislocation of the base of the thumb metacarpal.
Common injury (fall or punch)
How would a Bennett’s fracture appear on X-ray and why?
- Characteristic intra-articular fragment remains attached to the Beak ligament (anterior oblique ligament) ➞ results in metacarpal fragment articulating with Trapezium
- Metacarpal displaced proximally due to pull of AbPL
How is a Bennett’s fracture treated?
- Reduce the metacarpal back to the fragment
- Hold reduction with K wires or small screw
What is Rolando’s fracture
Comminuted fracture of the base of the thumb metacarpal (NOT dislocated)
How is a Rolando’s fracture treated?
Thumb splint
The Scaphoid is a bean shaped bone which is almost entirely covered in _______.
It articulates with the _______, _______ and _______ and can be palpated in the _______.
It has an unusual blood supply from _______ to _______ which comes from a branch of the _______ artery.
articular cartilage
distal radius, lunate, trapezium, anatomical snuffbox
distal, proximal, radial
Most common mechanism of injury of scaphoid fractures?
FOOSH injury
Initial investigation for a suspected scaphoid fracture?
Scaphoid series of X-rays (4 views)
What are the 4 scaphoid X-ray views?
- PA
- lateral
- oblique
- Ziter view (PA with wrist in ulnar deviation and beam angulated at 20º)
What is the definitive investigation for a scaphoid fracture?
MRI
Should be first-line imaging - but this is not common practice in the UK. It is commonly used second-line when X-rays are inconclusive
What is the biggest danger of a scaphoid fracture?
AVN ➞ occurs in the PROXIMAL POLE of the scaphoid
*chance of AVN increases with degree of displacement of fracture
How would a scaphoid fracture present?
- Pain in the anatomical snuffbox
- Pain along the radial aspect of the wrist, at the base of the thumb
- Loss of grip / pinch strength
What is a major differential diagnosis of distal radius fracture?
Scaphoid Fracture
List the the 4 Scaphoid provocation tests
What do these tell us?
- Snuffbox tenderness
- Pain on telescoping thumb metacarpal
- Pain on telescoping index metacarpal
- Pain on radial deviation of wrist and palpating distal pole of scaphoid (ulna dev???)
Greater number of positive = more likely fracture
How would you manage the following:
- Possible scaphoid fracture
- Undisplaced scaphoid fracture
- Displaced or proximal scaphoid fracture
- Immobilise and re-XR 7-10 days
- Immobilise in scaphoid cast or splint for 8 weeks
- Internal fixation
Position of wrist cast for a scaphoid fracture?
Wrist should be placed in the ‘beer glass position’
List 4 complications of a scaphoid fracture
- AVN
- Non union
- Post traumatic OA
- SNAC wrist (Scaphoid Non-union Articular Collapse)
What forms the roof and base of the carpal tunnel?
Roof: Flexor Retinaculum
Base and sides: Carpal Arch
List all structures passing through the carpal tunnel
Median nerve + 9 tendons
- tendon of flexor pollicis longus
- 4 tendons of FDP
- 4 tendons of FDS
List 3 symptoms of CTS?
- Tingling/pain in the first three digits
- Worse at night
- Relieved by shaking/ hanging out the hand at night
List 2 clinical signs of carpal tunnel syndrome
Paraesthesiae in distribution of median nerve ➞ radial 3 and a 1⁄2 digits
Thenar wasting in late disease
What additional muscle wasting may be seen In late carpal tunnel syndrome and why?
Abductor Pollicis Brevis as it is located in the Thenar Eminence and is innervated by median nerve