ORTHOPEDICS/HAND & WRIST/HAND & WRIST CRACKS
Broken Hand
A complex of small bones constitute together the supporting framework of the hand. We enumerate the small finger bones, the phalanges, the long bones and the metacarpals.
A hand crack happen when one of these hand small bones is broken.
Commonly most hand cracks happen due to a direct shock to the hand.
Broken Hand/Signs
When a hand crack happens common signs appears such as Pain, inflammation a physical abnormality, (which may include a shortened finger for example) and difficulty in fingers moving.
Hand Fracture Diagnosis/Tests Needed
When hand is broken, specialist will examine the cracked hand to evaluate abnormality, the mobility, and the strength.
X-ray will show if a bone is broken and a decision will follow be to define the appropriate therapy.
When a crack does not appear with X-rays, other tests are recommended including CT scans and MRIs that can help showing the damage.
Hand Cracks/Therapy
Eventually a hand crack may heal with cast and bandages.
Some other hand cracks may also need Pins that consist in introducing small metal pinches through this skin in order to hold the bones in the normal position. The metal pinches should be kept in place for few weeks (the healing period).
This process is usually performed under general anesthesia.
Metal Plates & Screws is also one more hand broken treatment performed with unusual kinds of hand cracks: metal screws with either a plate or an external fixator can be used to help maintaining correct bones alignment.
Specialist should follow the healing period to help avoiding joints tightness.
Hand Crack/Eventual Problems
Generally, most hand cracks will heal monotonously.
The two eventual problems that patients may face with a hand crack are fingers painfulness and a perceptible bump.
The bump is frequently due to the appearance of an extra bone in the healing period. (Note that this bump may contract in size over the time but it may never disappear completely).