Primary internal fixation and bone grafting for open fractures of the hand

Primary bone grafting and internal fixation is a reliable option for the treatment of segmental hand defects resulting from high-energy crush or avulsion injuries. Immediate reconstruction can be performed safely if radical debridement and adequate soft tissue coverage of bone can be achieved. When these two criteria cannot be met, staged reconstruction should be performed. The low infection rate (0%), the high union rate (92%), and the return to full, unrestricted, previous employment for all patients in the authors' series supports the use of primary bone grafting in an acute setting. This single-stage approach to fracture management also permits earlier and more aggressive hand therapy that, in turn, can lower the high functional morbidity so often associated with these injuries.