Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fracture of the sesamoid bones of the thumb associated with volar plate injury: ultrasound diagnosis

  • Case Report
  • Published:
Journal of Ultrasound Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The fractures of sesamoid bones of the hand are rare, sometimes the diagnosis is missed. We report a case of fracture of both the ulnar and radial sesamoids of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of the thumb. The trauma (hyperextension of the thumb during a soccer match) also caused a lesion of the volar plate. The diagnosis was made by ultrasound (US) and confirmed by CT scan.

Riassunto

Le fratture dei sesamoidi della mano sono eventi rari, talvolta non diagnosticati. Presentiamo il caso di una frattura che ha interessato sia il sesamoide radiale che ulnare della articolazione metacarpofalangea (MCP) del pollice. Il trauma (iperestensione del pollice durante una partita di calcio) ha inoltre causato la lesione della placca volare. La diagnosi è stata fatta con l’ecografia (US) e confermata alla TC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

References

  1. Wood VE (1984) The sesamoid bones of the hand and their pathology. J Hand Surg 9B:261–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Amar E, Rozenblat Y, Chechik O (2011) Sesamoid and accessory bones of the hand—an epidemiologic survey in a Mediterranean population. Clin Anat 24:183–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Gibeault JD, Saba P, Hoenecke H, Graham A (1989) The sesamoids of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb: an anatomical and clinical study. J Hand Surg 14:244–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dong PR, Seeger LL, Shapiro MS, Levere SM (1995) Fractures of the sesamoid bones of the thumb. Am J Sports Med 23:336–339

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ebrahim FS, De Maeseneer M, Jager T, Marcelis S, Jamadar DA, Jacobson JA (2006) US diagnosis of UCL tears of the thumb and Stener lesions: technique, pattern-based approach and differential diagnosis. Radiographics 26:1007–1020

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Melville D, Jacobson JA, Haase S, Brandon C, Kalume Brigido M, Fessell D (2013) Ultrasound of displaced ulnar collateral ligament tears of the thumb: the Stener lesion revisited. Skelet Radiol 42:667–673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Bianchi S, Abdelwaha IF, Zwass A, Molini L (1993) Fractures of the sesamoid bone of the thumb. Bull Hosp Jt Dis 53:7–10

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bianchi S, Almusa E, Chick G, Bianchi E (2013) Ultrasound in wrist and hand sport injuries. Sports Med J pp 374–383

  9. Bianchi S, Jacob D, Hoffman D, Almusa E (2013) When to order specific radiological investigations. In: Chick G (ed) Acute and chronic finger injuries in ball sports. Springer, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bianchi S, Martinoli C (2007) Hand. In: Ultrasound of the musculoskeletal system. Springer Berlin pp 495–548

  11. Hoffman DF, Adams E, Bianchi S (2014) Ultrasonography of fractures in sports medicine. Br J Sports Med

  12. Clavero JA, Alomar X, Monill JM et al (2002) MR imaging of ligament and tendon injuries of the fingers. Radiographics 22(2):237–256

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Boutry N, Larde A, Demondion X, Cortet B, Cotten H, Cotten A (2004) Metacarpophalangeal joints at US in asymptomatic volunteers and cadaveric specimens. Radiology 232:716–724

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bell MJ, McMurtry RY, Rubenstein J (1989) Fracture of the ulnar sesamoid of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb-an arthrographic study. J Hand Surg Br 10(3):379–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. All patients provided written informed consent for enrolment in the study and for the inclusion in this article of information that could potentially lead to their identification.

Human and animal studies

The study was conducted in accordance with all institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Misericordia di Pistoia, Pistoia, Italy

    Marco Becciolini & Giovanni Bonacchi

Authors
  1. Marco Becciolini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giovanni Bonacchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Becciolini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Becciolini, M., Bonacchi, G. Fracture of the sesamoid bones of the thumb associated with volar plate injury: ultrasound diagnosis. J Ultrasound 18, 395–398 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-015-0166-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-015-0166-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation