The thumb is responsible for about 50% of all hand function. When the thumb is painful or injured, it becomes very difficult to use the hand. During normal life, we take our thumbs for granted. When the thumb is not working properly, we realize how important it is. There are several causes of thumb pain […]
Boxer’s fractures are very common hand injuries. The typical cause is punching a wall with a clenched fist. These injuries are most common in young adult males. They can also occur from a variety of ways such as a fall, sports injury, or car accident. A “boxer’s fracture” is defined as a fracture of the […]
Dr John Erickson gave hand conference at WakeMed Hospital for UNC orthopedic residents and hospital staff on August 10, 2020. He discussed Tumors of the Hand and Wrist and presented several illustrative cases. Local area hand surgeons, radiologists, occupational therapists, and Physicians Assistants were in attendance in-person and viewing online.
This patient sustained displaced fractures of the fourth and fifth metacarpal shafts. The fractures were angulated and the fingers were not aligned well. Surgery was recommended for the patient. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery with plates and screws was performed and range of motion with hand therapy was begun early. Excellent results can […]
A mucous cyst is a common type of fluid-filled cyst in the finger. These are called “mucous cysts” due to the thick, clear, mucous-like fluid within the cyst. This fluid has leaked out of the joint closest to the fingernail, the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint. They are common in both men and women aged 50-70 […]
This patient sustained a fracture-dislocation of the 5th carpometacarpal (CMC) joint at the base of the small finger. The CT scan shows the comminuted fracture fragments and the joint malalignment. The red arrows point to the injury site and highlight the joint out of place. The patient underwent surgery, involving manipulation of the fracture site, […]
I’m writing this article for people who want to avoid carpal tunnel surgery. Yes, I am an orthopedic surgeon and I’m trained to operate on patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). But I’m also a physician, and part of our jobs as physicians is to educate patients about prevention of disease. Hopefully I can teach […]
This patient had a crushing injury to the fingertip with a laceration to the skin, disruption of the nail, and laceration of the nailbed. Repair of the nail was performed with local anesthesia numbing medicine and a finger tourniquet to minimize bleeding. The nail was replaced at the end of the procedure. The nail typically […]
Case #1 This patient had an amputation to the index fingertip with exposed distal phalanx bone. A V-Y flap was performed to reconstruct the soft tissues. Case #2 The patient in the pictures below had a near-amputation to the middle finger with fracture of the distal phalanx. Surgery was performed to stabilize the injury. Case […]
Finger fractures can lead to permanent stiffness, weakness, and limited function in the hand. If these are not treated carefully, patients can have a poor hand function. Much can be done to prevent many of these problems. There are a variety of techniques available for treatment of these injuries including splints, casts, therapy, and surgery. […]
