RT Book, Section
A1 Reichman, Eric F.
SR Print(0)
ID 57709005
T1 Chapter 84. Metacarpophalangeal Joint Dislocation Reduction
T2 Emergency Medicine Procedures, 2e
YR 2013
FD 2013
PB The McGraw-Hill Companies
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-161352-1
LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=57709005
RD 2024/04/23
AB Hand  injuries  are  among  the  most  common  injuries  encountered  in  the  Emergency  Department  (ED).  They  are  responsible  for  5%  to  10%  of  ED  visits,  with  approximately  6%  of  these  patients  having  significant  injuries.1,2  Many  hand  injuries  occur  from  sports-related  events  or  in  the  workplace.  Data  suggest  that  hand  injuries  account  for  19%  of  lost-time  injuries  and  9%  of  workers'  compensation  cases.3  Approximately  3  to  4  million  working  days  are  lost  each  year  as  a  result  of  hand  injuries.4  It  is  estimated  that  10%  of  patients  with  hand  injuries  require  referral  to  a  hand  specialist.5  Proper  motion  and  function  of  the  hand  are  intimately  related  to  normal  anatomic  alignment.  The  Emergency  Physician  (EP)  must  be  skilled  in  the  diagnosis  and  management  of  injuries  about  the  hand.  An  improperly  managed  hand  injury  can  result  in  significant  disability  that  the  patient  is  reminded  of  on  a  daily  basis  and  may  include  chronic  pain,  decrease  range  of  motion,  stiffness,  joint  swelling,  deformity,  or  early  degenerative  arthritis.