Dear Sir, A 33-year-old right-hand-dominant lumberjack sustained a fracture-dislocation of the right ring and little finger metacarpals. Closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner (K) wire fixation was done under image intensifier control. The proximal oblique K-wire was broken in a fall (Fig 1). The remaining wires were removed 3 weeks later. As the retained broken wire on the extensor aspect was completely asymptomatic and the patient had returned to part-time work, a decision was made to leave it in place. Ten weeks postoperatively he developed paraesthesia in the ulnar nerve distribution especially during work with associated pain and reduced grip strength. Repeat radiographic examination (Fig 2a) revealed that the broken wire had migrated to the palmar and ulnar aspect of the hand through the intercarpal space, which explained the clinical findings.
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