Blast Injury to the Hand: Assessing the Injury Pattern and Functional Outcome of the Thumb.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the United States, approximately 30% of about 10,000 annual blast injuries involve the hand, causing a broad spectrum of injury severity. The first web space is typically most severely affected. As the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint is critical to the unique function of the thumb, we evaluated typical patterns of injury to this joint, subsequent salvageability and functional outcomes of the thumb.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review on patients with blast injuries to the hand from January 1995 through July 2019 and excluded penetrating trauma. We assessed hand function as reported in occupational therapy records. Injury severity was classified independently by structures.

Results

Twenty-one patients were included, two with bilateral injuries,

SUBMITTER: Rivedal DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8460222 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature