Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: , golf, tennis, and baseball), leading to fatigue fracture, or as a result of trauma from falls or other injuries. The recommended treatment involves the excision of bone fragments to facilitate athletes' early return to sports; excision surgery is also performed in trauma cases. However, some patients prefer nonsurgical treatment options, and conservative treatment should be considered. AIM: To present a case series of 16 patients conservatively treated for hook of hamate fractures. METHODS: This study included 16 (11 males and 5 females; right side, 6 cases; left side, 10) patients who desired conservative treatment and could be followed-up until bone union was achieved. The average age of the patients was 49.6 (range: 24-72) years. The average time from injury to consultation was 4.3 (range: 0.2-21.4) weeks. The treatment involved 4 weeks of casting from the forearm to the metacarpophalangeal joint, followed by 8 weeks of splint fixation of the wrist. Follow-up computed tomography scans were performed every 4 weeks. RESULTS: Bone union was achieved in all patients. The average duration of casting was 3.7 (range: 0-5) weeks and that of splint fixation thereafter was 8.6 (range: 0-28) weeks. The patients did not exhibit joint contractures or range of motion restrictions due to prolonged immobilization. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment with external fixation may be an option for hook of hamate fractures.
Source: World Journal of Orthopedics
Authors: Toshikazu Tanaka, Yuichi Yoshii
Institution: Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409510360