Patterns of hand fractures and dislocations in a district general hospital

In a retrospective survey of patients with fractures and dislocations attending the Accident department of a District General hospital, comparison was made between patients with fractures and dislocations in the hand and fractures and dislocations of other sites. Patients with hand injuries accounted for 28% of the total patients seen. They were more likely than other fracture patients to be male and between the ages of 10 and 40 years. Almost a quarter of hand injuries attended on Monday. Leisure activities outside the home formed the commonest aetiological factor. Only 66% of patients with hand injuries attended the Accident department within 24 hours of injury. The little finger was the commonest site of injury. This survey emphasizes the differences between hand injuries and injuries of other sites, identifies the risk factors for hand injuries and has implications for the management of hand injuries in a District General Hospital.