Two cases of incomplete longitudinal fracture of the proximopalmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone.

摘要

Various fractures of the third metacarpal bone have been recognised including condylar, dorsal cortical or saucers, fissure, comminuted, avulsion at the origin of the suspensory ligament and cortical fractures of the proximopalmar cortex. Cortical fractures of the proximopalmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone have been reported in the literature more frequently since the advent of the use of Gamma scintigraphy (Lloyd et al. 1988; Pleasant et al. 1992; Riggs 1994). These may be fatigue fractures due to cyclical loading of compressive forces to the palmar cortex (Wright et al. 1990) or result from a single noncatastrophic traumatic event, such as a bad step or jump (Ross 1991; Lloyd et al. 1988). Diagnosis is made by a combination of clinical signs, perineural or intra-articular anaesthesia, scintigraphy and radiography. Treatment is usually conservative (Lloyd et al. 1988; Pleasant et al. 1992) but surgical treatment, using cortical lag screws (Ross et al. 1988), and surgical forage (Wright et al. 1990) have been described. This report describes the history, diagnosis and treatment of 2 cases of incomplete fracture of the third metacarpal (McIII) bone.