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Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
Published in: Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery 4/2015

01-04-2015 | Trauma Surgery

Comparison of treatment of oblique and spiral metacarpal and phalangeal fractures with mini plate plus screw or screw only

Authors: Hakan Başar, Betül Başar, Onur Başçı, Osman Mert Topkar, Bülent Erol, Cihangir Tetik

Published in: Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery | Issue 4/2015

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Abstract

Introduction

We aimed to compare results of treatment of oblique–spiral metacarpal and phalangeal fractures with screw only or mini plate plus screw, respectively.

Methods

A total of 43 patients who were operated with a diagnosis of displaced, irreducible, unstable, rotational oblique–spiral metacarpal and proximal phalangeal fracture between 2007 and 2010 were included in this study. The mean age of patients with a phalangeal fracture was 33.8 years (range 20–50 years; 4 females, 18 males), and the mean age of patients with a metacarpal fracture was 29.6 years (range 18–45 years; 3 females, 18 males). Mini plate plus screw or screw only was used for internal fixation of these fractures. The patients were followed up for 19.2 ± 5.4 months in the phalangeal fracture group and 20.9 ± 7.3 months in metacarpal fracture group. Of the metacarpal fractures, 14 were oblique and 10 spiral, whereas 14 of the phalangeal fractures were oblique and 8 spiral. The patients were evaluated according to total range of motion of the finger, grasping strength and Q-DASH score.

Results

For patients treated with mini plate plus screw after metacarpal and phalangeal fractures, the time to return to work was significantly shorter in comparison to patients treated with screws only. There was no significant difference between patients with metacarpal fractures treated with mini plate plus screw and patients treated with screw only in terms of total range of motion and Q-DASH results at last on control examination, while results of patients with phalangeal fractures treated with screw only were significantly better. There was no significant difference between these two treatments in phalangeal fractures in terms of grasping strength of the finger in early (1st month) and late (last control examination), whereas patients with metacarpal fractures treated with mini plate plus screw reached higher grasping strength earlier.

Conclusion

Treatment with mini plate plus screw should be avoided in spiral and oblique phalangeal fractures, and fixation should be done with screw only with a short surgical incision and dissection. On the other hand, treatment with mini plate plus screw should be preferred in patients with spiral and oblique metacarpal fractures, especially in those who work in occupations requiring higher physical strength.
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Metadata
Title
Comparison of treatment of oblique and spiral metacarpal and phalangeal fractures with mini plate plus screw or screw only
Authors
Hakan Başar
Betül Başar
Onur Başçı
Osman Mert Topkar
Bülent Erol
Cihangir Tetik
Publication date
01-04-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery / Issue 4/2015
Print ISSN: 0936-8051
Electronic ISSN: 1434-3916
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-015-2164-3

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