What type of splint is used for a metacarpal fracture?

Immobilization and Splinting A gutter splint or cast should be used to immobilize a metacarpal fracture. This is often definitive management for fractures that meet acceptable radiographic parameters. A gutter splint may be modified based on the location of the injured finger.

How do you splint a metacarpal fracture?

Immobilization of most metacarpal fractures follows a few simple guidelines, including the following:

Fracture splints should be forearm-based and should allow for motion of the interphalangeal (IP) joints.
Splints should extend over the dorsal and palmar aspect of the entire metacarpal being treated.

How do you splint a 2nd metacarpal fracture?

Bisect the splint longitudinally from the fingertips to the wrist. Insert a dry gauze or cotton material between the 2nd and 3rd fingers. Fold the splint “tails” so that it sandwiches the volar and dorsal aspects of the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal. Secure the splint in place using bias wrap or an ace wrap.

How do you splint a first metacarpal fracture?

Immobilization of stable thumb metacarpal shaft fractures can be achieved using the combination of a short arm thumb spica cast for daily wear and a shorter, wrist-free, thumb spica cast with padding for gameplay, for a period of 4 weeks, as described for Bennett fracture immobilization.

Which position is best for metacarpal bone fracture?

Most commonly, metacarpal fractures have apex dorsal angulation. Most authors recommend nonoperative management for up to 40°–50° of apex dorsal angulation in the small finger, 30° at the ring finger, 20° at the middle finger, and 15° at the index finger [8, 12].

How do you splint a fourth metacarpal fracture?

Splint for metacarpal fracture A gutter splint may be modified based on the location of the injured finger. An ulnar gutter splint, also subsequently called a “boxer splint” , should be used for fourth or fifth metacarpal fractures leaving the thumb, index, and ring fingers free.

How do you stop a metacarpal shaft fracture?

Reduction of metacarpal shaft or neck fractures can be accomplished with local hematoma or wrist block anesthesia in the emergency department using 1% lidocaine with epinephrine. The fracture is then reduced using a maneuver described by Jahss in 1938.