Hand Infections Across Tissue Planes: A Pictorial Review

Area of Science:

• Hand surgery
• Infectious diseases
• Emergency medicine

Background:

• Hand infections require prompt diagnosis and management due to complex anatomy, which can lead to rapid spread and functional impairment.
• Outcomes of hand infections are significantly influenced by the timeliness of recognition and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a pictorial review of clinically significant hand infections.
• To offer a practical, pattern-based reference for clinicians at the point of care.
• To aid in the triage, initial management, and referral decisions for hand infections.

Main Methods:

• Review of a curated archive of hand infection cases from a board-certified hand surgeon.
• Inclusion of common superficial to uncommon deep-space, articular, and osseous infections.
• Organization of conditions by anatomical tissue planes for clarity.

Main Results:

• Summaries of clinical features, diagnostic/imaging findings, causative organisms, and initial management for each infection.
• Illustrations with representative clinical photographs and imaging.
• Categorization of infections across tissue planes for a pattern-based approach.

Conclusions:

• The review serves as a practical reference for clinicians managing hand infections.
• Early identification and appropriate management are key to improving patient outcomes.
• The pattern-based approach facilitates urgent triage, empiric therapy selection, and identification of patients needing early intervention.