Scenario of hand fractures in a tertiary hospital: a prospective study

Hand injuries contribute a considerable workload for any individual accident and emergency department. Not many studies are found in the Indian literature as far as the epidemiology of hand fractures is concerned. A prospective survey of the medical charts of all 10,977 patients attending the accident and emergency department of the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, from August 1, 2004, to July 31, 2006 was performed. Of these, 2,836 sustained one or more fractures, and hand fractures accounted for 5.4 % of all fractures. This study compared the prevalence of hand fractures with that of all fractures and investigated whether there was a seasonal variation in their prevalence. The incidence of all the fractures (of upper and lower limbs) increased during the rainy season (from May to August), but the distribution of hand fractures remained relatively constant throughout the year. Among carpal bones, scaphoid was the most common injured carpal bone. Only 6 % of patients with hand fractures required admission. Hand fractures are common and have a substantial impact on national health care, and it is essential to estimate the frequency and describe the demographics of patients with this condition.