@article{ref1,
title="Hand Trauma Pitfalls: A Retrospective Study of Fight Bites",
journal="European journal of trauma and emergency surgery",
year="2008",
author="Goon, Patrick Ky and Mahmoud, Matti and Rajaratnam, Vaikunthan",
volume="34",
number="2",
pages="135-140",
abstract="Clench fist or fight bite injuries are associated with some of the worst types of infective complications but their mechanism is often poorly understood. In a retrospective case series, 34 patients seen between 1998 and 2004 presented to a local hand surgery unit with confirmed human bite hand injuries. Seventy-six percent presented with infective complications with a mean delay in presentation of 4 days. Eighty percent of patients were clench fist injuries (CFI) (open joints in 59% and tendon injuries in 63%). Using an aggressive treatment policy including early surgical and antibiotic intervention, most patients achieved good results functionally (full range of movement was achieved in 83% of those with CFI which completed follow-up (44%)). High rates of non-compliance and incomplete follow-up was noted. Major long-term complications including limited range of movement and osteomyelitis was low and suggests the policy of prompt and comprehensive surgical and medical intervention is the optimal treatment option. A brief but in-depth discussion of the specific anatomical pitfalls is included.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1863-9933",
doi="10.1007/s00068-007-6183-9",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00068-007-6183-9"
}