The treatment of fractures of the ring and little metacarpal necks. A prospective randomized study of three different types of treatment.
A total of 105 patients with fracture of the neck of the ring or little metacarpal bone were randomized to receive three different types of treatment: dorso-ulnar plaster-of-Paris from the proximal interphalangeal joint to elbow; functional brace around the wrist; or elastic bandage. Twenty patients (19%) had to be excluded for different reasons leaving 85 patients in the study. The remaining patients were examined after 4 weeks and 3 months. There was no difference in patient satisfaction between the three different types of treatment. The functional brace was in our opinion superior to the two other types of treatment: the patients had as little pain as the patients treated with plaster-of-Paris and less pain than patients treated with elastic bandage. Patients treated with a functional brace mobilized as fast as patients treated with elastic bandage and faster than patients treated with plaster-of-Paris. Based on these findings, we recommend the functional brace for treatment of fractures of the neck of the ring and little metacarpals.
Hansen
P B
PB
Department of Orthopaedics, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Hansen
T B
TB
D001458:Bandages; D001915:Braces; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000293:injuries*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome