The paperclip splint for finger injuries.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical engineering
• Materials science

Background:

• Finger injuries are common and require effective immobilization.
• Existing splinting methods can be costly or cumbersome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, easily accessible splint for finger injuries.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel paperclip and tape splint.

Main Methods:

• A finger splint was constructed using readily available materials: a paperclip and tape.
• The splint was designed for dynamic extension of interphalangeal injuries.
• Accessibility of underlying lacerations and interference with adjacent digits were considered.

Main Results:

• The paperclip and tape splint is inexpensive, compact, and simple to fabricate.
• It allows for ready access to underlying lacerations.
• Minimal interference with neighboring digits was observed.
• Effective dynamic extension splinting for interphalangeal injuries was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The paperclip and tape splint offers a practical and effective solution for managing finger injuries.
• This innovative approach provides a cost-effective alternative for dynamic extension splinting.