Nail gun injuries to the hand.
BACKGROUND
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is a teaching hospital serving a population of over 500,000. A number of nail gun injuries to the hand prompted a review of our management of these injuries and a review of the literature. These are deep penetrating injuries, often contaminated by particles of skin, oil, paper or glue, or caused by nails that are barbed.


METHODS
Fifty-five cases of nail gun injury to the hand were reviewed in a retrospective study of injuries presenting to the hospital between January 2000 and June 2004.


RESULTS
The population at risk is almost entirely men and involved in the construction industry. Twenty-five percent of cases were found to have tendon, nerve or joint involvement at operation. None of the injuries required anything more than meticulous wound toilet.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first large study to clinically document the actual hand injuries caused by nail guns. An analysis of our treatment patterns suggests a low risk from surgical exploration with several potential benefits.
Hussey
Keith
K
Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom.
Knox
David
D
Lambah
Alex
A
Curnier
Alain P
AP
Holmes
John D
JD
Davies
Michaela
M
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003252:Construction Materials; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology*