Dr. Steven Rueda is one of the most sought after doctors for hand fractures in Palm Beach. Hand fractures are hand injuries that result from breaking of the bones in the hands and fingers. The fractures are most common in young active patients, industrial laborers, and older age groups with osteoporosis.
WHAT CAUSES HAND FRACTURES?
The hand and fingers have a total of 19 bones; these are the metacarpals and phalanx. Any of these bones can be broken in hand and finger fractures. The goal of treatment is to allow the bones to heal to achieve pain free and mobile hand and fingers.
HAND FRACTURES PROCEDURE
Surgery can fix fractures with many different types of methods: plates and screws, wires, and pins. The goal of surgery is to use the methods that allows the bone to remain in place and the patient to move their joints the fastest possible.
Incisions for hand and finger fractures procedures are highly variable; its best to discuss the independent procedure with Dr. Rueda at the time of your visit so you know the location, length, and details of the operation. In some cases the fractures may be treated using stainless steel K-wires placed through the skin with no need to make incisions. However, those that require incisions are usually located in one of the areas shown below:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
No! It is important to see the Hand Surgeon within the first week of the fracture. When fractures are older than 2 weeks the bones may have started to heal in the wrong position making the surgery longer, more difficulty, and with a lower success rate.
Casting is only advised for patients who have stable finger fractures or those unable to have surgery for severe health reasons. The cast or splint is kept for a short period of time to prevent joint stiffness, a common problem in finger fractures.