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Intramedullary percutaneous fixation of metacarpal fractures: screw versus connected K-wires

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European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients treated with limited-open retrograde intramedullary headless screw fixation for metacarpal neck and shaft fractures (group I) versus percutaneous antegrade and retrograde intramedullary double pinning linked by a connector (group II). We designed a retrospective comparative study, with the inclusion of two groups (20 patients each) of metacarpal unstable fractures. Both groups showed similar outcomes at the final follow-up, except for extension lag (significantly better in group II) and return to sport (significantly better in group I). Intramedullary screw fixation did not accelerate bone union and range of motion recovery in the early follow-up. In conclusion, limited-open retrograde intramedullary headless screw fixation and percutaneous connected antegrade and retrograde intramedullary double pinning are both reliable techniques of fixation for metacarpal neck and shaft fractures.

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III.

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Acknowledgement

Nicolas Meyer, Strasbourg University Hospital, Service de Santé Publique, GMRC, 67,091 Strasbourg, France.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hand Surgery and Microsurgery, HM Montepríncipe, Paseo Juan XXIII, n. 23, 2-6, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Belén García-Medrano, Fernando Polo Simón & Pedro J. Delgado

  2. Department of Hand Surgery, Strasbourg University Hospitals, FMTS, 1 avenue Molière, 67200, Strasbourg, France

    Sophie Honecker, Sybille Facca & Philippe Liverneaux

  3. UMR7357, ICube CNRS, Strasbourg University, 2-4 rue Boussingault, 67000, Strasbourg, France

    Sybille Facca & Philippe Liverneaux

Authors
  1. Belén García-Medrano
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  2. Sophie Honecker
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  3. Sybille Facca
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  4. Fernando Polo Simón
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  5. Pedro J. Delgado
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  6. Philippe Liverneaux
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Contributions

GM and SH researched literature and conceived the study. GM and PL were involved in protocol development, gaining ethical approval, and patient recruitment. SF and PS developed the data analysis. PD and PL organized surgeries and described techniques. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Belén García-Medrano.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Informed consent was not sought for this article because any personal data were included.

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Ethical approval

The local ethics committee has agreed to this study performed in two European Hand Surgery Centers (CE-2020–99).

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García-Medrano, B., Honecker, S., Facca, S. et al. Intramedullary percutaneous fixation of metacarpal fractures: screw versus connected K-wires. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 32, 427–436 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-021-02977-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-021-02977-3

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