title: Intramedullary fixation of unstable metacarpal fractures.
abstract: Intramedullary stabilization of metacarpal shaft and neck fractures is a relatively simple, cost-effective, and safe technique with good published outcomes (Fig. 9); however definite advantages over other techniques of fracture stabilization, or indeed simple early mobilization in some instances, have not been clearly demonstrated. A recent publication does suggest that the technique is comparable to percutaneous transverse fixation in the context of fifth metacarpal neck fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom. nicholas.downing@qmc.nhs.uk
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Downing
authors.forename: T R C
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D001864:Bone Wires; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*