Medium urgency
Common-
Fracture of a bone in the hand at the base of the thumb. It is the most commonly fractured bone in the hand.
The most common cause is trauma from a blunt object or from putting your hands down to break a fall. It is common in sports where the hands are used to stop a ball, for example, in the case of a goalkeeper.
It causes pain at the base of the thumb and swelling that increases with movement of the finger or wrist or with picking up objects with the hand.
Clinical questioning and physical examination are used to diagnose the condition. Sometimes it is difficult to see it clearly on an x-ray, so an MRI may be needed to complete the examination.
It requires immobilization with a cast and analgesic/anti-inflammatory medication.
- Kevin deWeber. Scaphoid fractures. UpToDate. ul 06, 2016.
- Fowler JR, Hughes TB. Scaphoid fractures. Clin Sports Med 2015; 34:37.
- Carpenter CR, et al. Adult scaphoid fracture. Acad Emerg Med 2014; 21:102.
- Laredo Ribero R. Polo Simón F. Delgado Alcalá V. Caldevilla Bernardo D. Fracturas, luxaciones y esguinces. Manual de protocolos y actuación en urgencias. Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo. Tercera edición. 2010: 1050-1051.
- Karl JW, Swart E, Strauch RJ. Diagnosis of Occult Scaphoid Fractures: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2015; 97:1860.
Dr. Sara Vitoria
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