Management of Metacarpal Shaft Fractures in Adults: A Multi-Centre Cross-sectional Study

Description

The presentation discusses a multicenter study conducted on the management of metacarpal shaft fractures in adult patients. The study aimed to describe the epidemiology of these injuries, assess variations in medical practices and complications, and document resource usage. The research reviewed healthcare records from six centers across the UK, encompassing a total of 793 patients with 899 fractures over a one-year period. An estimated annual incidence of 40 per 100,000 adults was found, which is significantly higher than prior reports. The findings indicated that metacarpal shaft fractures are predominantly seen in young males and are mainly caused by punch injuries or falls. Most fractures were simple and exhibited some displacement, with surgical treatment varying considerably by center. The study highlighted the high resource demand of managing these injuries despite a low complication rate, urging for further research through multicenter randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment methods.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-221059

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