We all know the importance of our hands and the role they play in our day-to-day lives. When we become unable to use any of our hands, the situation becomes annoying. One of the reasons for such a condition could be a fracture in the hand. When this happens, the person finds it difficult to use the affected hand.
The extent of inability completely depends upon the cause and seriousness of the fracture.
What is a Hand Fracture?
There are 27 bones in our hand involving the ones present in the wrist, and all these bones provide a framework to the muscles that help in the movement of the fingers. When a fracture is seen in the hand, the person becomes unable to properly use his/her fingers. In severe cases, the person even becomes unable to use the affected hand.
A hand fracture is nothing but a break(s) in the bones present in the hand. The reason for the fracture could be anything like traumatic injuries, direct impact with an object, stress, or certain conditions like osteoporosis that weakens the bone.
For the surgical treatment of this fracture, trauma implants like Hand Fracture System may be used.
Different Types of Hand Fractures
There are different variations that could be seen in the case of hand fractures and that will depend upon the cause.
- Low-impact injuries generally result in un-displaced hand fractures where the broken bone does not leave its position. In this case, fractured bone fragments stay aligned.
- High-impact or serious injuries are the cause of unstable or displaced hand fractures. This is the condition where the broken bone fragment(s) shifts from their normal anatomical position. Unstable fractures are serious than stable ones.
- Sometimes, the bone gets broken into multiple fragments and that condition is known as a comminuted fracture. Such types of injuries generally occur when the bone is crushed due to one or the other reason.
- In the case of high-energy trauma, sometimes open fractures could also be seen. This is when the broken bone comes out from the skin while damaging the surrounding tissues.
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with hand fracture will vary according to the location and severity of the injured area. Below-mentioned are the most common symptoms that may be seen:
- Pain & stiffness around the injured area
- Difficulty or inability to use fractured hand
- The deformity may also be noticed
- In certain cases, swelling may be seen
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of hand fracture is done with the physical examination of the injured area first. This will help the doctor determine the cause of symptoms plus identify if any other injury has occurred or not. But only physical examination cannot be conclusive, so an X-ray along with other imaging tests may also be required to see actual images of the fracture along with the location. X-ray is the most commonly performed imaging test to identify the fracture. In certain complicated cases, tests like MRI or CT scan may be performed to examine the seriousness of the fracture.
Treatment of Hand Fracture
The purpose of treatment is to fix broken fragments and bring back the normal functioning of the hand. The severity of the fracture will decide whether surgery will be required or the bones can be fixed without that.
In the maximum cases of stable fractures, fixation could be done with the application of a cast, splint, or brace. The orthopedist will ensure that the fractured bone fragments are lined up correctly before applying a cast or a splint. Besides this, medications to relieve pain are also prescribed.
While on other hand, unstable fractures where the broken bone gets displaced from its position may require the use of orthopedic implants. These implants are applied during surgical treatment and they should be of ISO standard quality.
Siora Surgicals Pvt. Ltd. is one of the Top Orthopedic Implant Companies in India. Siora is a proud owner of an advanced and FDA India-approved manufacturing unit located in Sonipat, Haryana. The company also exports its world-class products to other countries.
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