Retrograde Intramedullary Screw Fixation for Metacarpal Fractures: A Systematic Review. 2023

Genoveffa R Morway, and Taylor Rider, and Christopher M Jones
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, PA, USA.

Common forms of fixation of metacarpal fractures have historically included percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation, plates and screws, and, more recently, intramedullary screw fixation. Retrograde intramedullary screws (RISs) are a novel modality first described 10 years ago. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the published literature assessing outcomes of RIS fixation for metacarpal fractures and create a complication profile for this novel technique. A comprehensive literature search was performed using electronic databases for both clinical and biomechanical studies in relation to RIS fixation published from 2000 to 2020. A total of 19 studies (13 clinical and 6 biomechanical) met the inclusion criteria. The clinical studies examined 603 metacarpal fractures and demonstrated adequate functional outcomes in terms of grip strength, total active motion, and time to return to work. The biomechanical studies examined 80 metacarpal fractures, finding that load to failure in RISs was often equal to or higher than Kirschner wires but less than plate and screws. The complication rate in reviewed studies was 2.8%, with the most prevalent complications being stiffness and extension lag. RIS use in metacarpal fractures appears to provide adequate stability with satisfactory clinical outcomes and minimal complications, although more high-quality studies are needed to fully examine this modality.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001863 Bone Screws Specialized devices used in ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY to repair bone fractures. Bone Screw,Screw, Bone,Screws, Bone
D001864 Bone Wires Steel wires, often threaded through the skin, soft tissues, and bone, used to fix broken bones. Kirschner wires or apparatus also includes the application of traction to the healing bones through the wires. Kirschner Wire,Kirschner Wires,Bone Wire,Wire, Bone,Wire, Kirschner,Wires, Bone,Wires, Kirschner
D005593 Fracture Fixation, Internal The use of internal devices (metal plates, nails, rods, etc.) to hold the position of a fracture in proper alignment. Osteosynthesis, Fracture,Fixation, Internal Fracture,Fixations, Internal Fracture,Fracture Fixations, Internal,Fracture Osteosyntheses,Fracture Osteosynthesis,Internal Fracture Fixation,Internal Fracture Fixations,Osteosyntheses, Fracture
D006230 Hand Injuries General or unspecified injuries to the hand. Injuries, Hand,Hand Injury,Injury, Hand
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D050279 Metacarpal Bones The five cylindrical bones of the METACARPUS, articulating with the CARPAL BONES proximally and the PHALANGES OF FINGERS distally. Metacarpals,Bones, Metacarpal
D050723 Fractures, Bone Breaks in bones. Bone Fractures,Broken Bones,Spiral Fractures,Torsion Fractures,Bone Fracture,Bone, Broken,Bones, Broken,Broken Bone,Fracture, Bone,Fracture, Spiral,Fracture, Torsion,Fractures, Spiral,Fractures, Torsion,Spiral Fracture,Torsion Fracture

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