Background: Skier's thumb is a type of injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb, which can result in bone fragmentation and joint instability.
Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the traditional Kirschner wire fixation method with the U-shaped Kirschner wire method for treating small bone fragments with displacement, rotation, or instability in skier's fractures.
Method: A retrospective study was conducted on 30 patients with skier's thumb who were treated at Tianjin Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A received traditional Kirschner wire fixation, while Group B received U-shaped Kirschner wire fixation. Functional assessments and complications during the perioperative period were evaluated.
Results: Both surgical methods significantly reduced postoperative pain and increased joint range of motion. Group B had a lower incidence of pain during follow-up and showed significant functional improvement in Tip-pinch and Grip tests compared to Group A. U-shaped Kirschner wire fixation significantly reduced complications during the perioperative period.
Conclusion: The U-shaped Kirschner wire internal fixation is a safe and effective treatment for the thumb proximal phalanx base ulnar side avulsion fracture.
Keywords: Bone fragmentation; Metacarpophalangeal joint; Skier’s thumb; U-shaped Kirschner wire; Ulnar collateral ligament.
© 2024. The Author(s).