TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Hand Trauma Pitfalls: A Retrospective Study of Fight Bites
JO  - European journal of trauma and emergency surgery
A1  - Goon, Patrick Ky
A1  - Mahmoud, Matti
A1  - Rajaratnam, Vaikunthan
SP  - 135
EP  - 140
VL  - 34
IS  - 2
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 1863-9933
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00068-007-6183-9
ID  - ref1
ER  -