What are metacarpals and phalanges?

What are metacarpals and phalanges?

metacarpal: Any of the bones of the palm. carpal: Any of the eight bones of the wrist. phalange: One of the bones of the digits.

What is a metacarpal fracture?

A metacarpal fracture or broken metacarpal is a fracture (break) of the tubular bones within the palm (metacarpals). They classically occur in the small finger metacarpal bone in boxers or athletes of other sports or activities.

What type of fracture is a metacarpal fracture?

A metacarpal fracture is a type of hand fracture occurring in the bones which form the palm of the hand. These bones, located between the bones of the wrist and the bones of the fingers, are called the metacarpals. There are five metacarpal bones, each articulating with a digit of the hand.

What causes metacarpal fracture?

Most causes of metacarpal fracture involve trauma to the hand: Punching objects with a closed fist (most commonly Boxer’s Fracture) Blunt force trauma (vehicle accident, direct blow to the hand, work injury) Crush injuries to the hand (often results in multiple metacarpal fractures)

What are the metacarpals?

Metacarpal, any of several tubular bones between the wrist (carpal) bones and each of the forelimb digits in land vertebrates, corresponding to the metatarsal bones of the foot. The metacarpals also form a transverse arch that allows the fingertips and thumb to be brought together for manipulation.

What is the most common metacarpal fracture?

Metacarpal neck fractures are the most common type of metacarpal fracture. Such a fracture seen in the 5th (or rarely, the 4th) metacarpal neck is called a “boxer’s fracture” (Figure 4). Metacarpal head fractures are rare and usually require surgical intervention.

How are fractures of the phalanges fixated?

A similar technique was under- taken for middle phalangeal fractures, with an inci- sion starting over the head of the middle phalanx for retrograde screw placement. Comminuted fractures: Compression without support will result in shortening in metacarpals and phalanges alike when inserting the CHS (Fig. 3).

How are phalangeal fractures different from metacarpal fractures?

Phalangeal fractures respond less favorably to immobilization than metacarpal fractures, with a predicted 84% return of motion compared with 96% return of motion in the metacarpals ( Shehadi 1991 ). If phalangeal immobilization is continued for longer than 4 weeks, the motion drops to 66%.

When do most fractures of the metacarpals occur?

Fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges are the most common fractures of the upper extremity, totaling approximately 600,000 in 1998. Roughly 70% of all metacarpal and phalangeal fractures occur between the ages of 11 and 45.

What causes a fracture of the proximal phalanx?

Phalangeal fractures. Intra-articular fractures of the base of the proximal phalanx (PP) usually occur following an abduction force most commonly seen in sports injuries or a fall. Displaced fractures may not be reducible conservatively because of collateral ligament avulsion which worsens the fracture displacement with MP flexion.