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. 2010 Dec;5(4):440-3.
doi: 10.1007/s11552-010-9266-8. Epub 2010 Apr 10.

Median Nerve Injury following K-wire Fixation of Bennett's Fracture-Lessons Learned

Sujith Sidharthan  1 , Sanath K Shetty, Amir W Hanna
Affiliations

Median Nerve Injury following K-wire Fixation of Bennett's Fracture-Lessons Learned

Sujith Sidharthan et al. Hand (N Y). 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Bennett's fracture is a relatively common injury. The fracture is unstable due to the displacing forces acting on the distal fragment and very commonly treated by stabilization with Kirschner wires. This would seem a relatively safe procedure, and injury to the median nerve has never been reported. We present this unusual complication following one such procedure with the evaluation of a safe approach utilizing the relevant surgical and radiological anatomy.

Keywords: Bennett’s fracture; Kirschner wire; Median nerve injury.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Intra-operative anteroposterior view of fixation with wires before plaster.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Post opearation X-ray showing volar and far too medial excursion of wires.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Tip of K-wire found rubbing the median nerve during exploration.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The safe reference line drawn along the ulnar border of index metacarpal defining the medial limit of wire passage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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