Pattern and Etiology of Acute Hand Injuries

Hyder Ali, Roqayyah Munawwer Khursheed, Sabeen Hyder, Mujtuba Pervez

Abstract

Objective

To determine the pattern and etiology of acute hand injuries presenting in an emergency room.

Study design

Cross-sectional study.

Place & Duration of study

Emergency Department of Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, from August 2019 to July 2020.

Methodology

All patients of age 15 years - 60 years with hand injuries were included using non-probability convenient sampling. Data were collected using hand injury chart and analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Results were presented in percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Chi-square test was applied to find out association and a p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

Out of 386 cases, 342 (89%) were males and 44 (11%) females. The common age group affected was l5 years - 40 years (n= 342 - 88.6%). Occupation-wise, majority (n=276 - 71.5%) of the patients were unskilled workers. Maximum injuries (n=281 - 55.6%) occurred in the time interval from 4 pm to midnight. Majority of patients (n=90 - 55%) sustained injury while at work. The right hand was more commonly injured than the left hand. A total of 438 tendons were injured of which 307 (70%) were flexor tendons. Finger flexors and extensors were involved in 60% and 16.4% respectively.

Conclusions

Males employed as unskilled workers were mostly injured. Machine injuries occurred more frequently.

Key words

Hand injury, Tendon injuries, Machine injuries, Flexor tendon.