Case Report: Simultaneous Carpometacarpal Dislocation of the Thumb and Four Fingers

Abstract

Introduction: Carpometacarpal join dislocations, are really infrequent injuries, with an incidence that goes from 0,5 to 1% of all bone hand dislocations. Being extremely rare the simultaneous luxation of all fi ve fingers. 
Objectives: Our work objective is to report a very infrequent injury found on a patient treated at our medical center. As well as getting up to date with diagnosis and treatment of such injury.
Clinical case: A 63 year old male case is presented, right-handed, wood and iron artisan, who was involved in a high-impact car crush against a motorbike, suff ering a trauma on his right hand, without any other injuries. At the emergency room, the physical examination showed a painful right hand deformed on the back. His diagnosis was dorsal carpometacarpal luxation of all 5 metacarpus, with a distal fracture of the trapezium, trapezoid, capitate and hamate bones. A closed reduction at the surgical room was performed, with general anesthesia, being the reduction unstable therefore  Kirschner needles were used for stabilization. A plaster cast was used for its protection. A control tomography was performed showing good reduction of all 5 carpometacarpal joints. Kirschner needles were taken out 6 weeks later, at which point the rehabilitation program was started with the physiatrist team.
Three months after the injury, the hand was painless, with a good range of movement, a diminished maximum catching strength compared with the other hand. The patient restarted his usual chores, fully reincorporating to his job 6 months later. He presents an excellent DASH score one year after surgery.
Discussion: Luxation of all 5 metacarpus is an extremely rare injury. It has been reported less than 20 cases worldwide. In spite of clinical suggestive elements, the diagnosis of this injury is quite difficult, being of great importance to count with x-rays with a straight profi le incidence of the hand. The results of this injury are uncertain; the functionality of the hand and wrist is frequently sustained associated with a reduction of the catching strength. This type of trauma will end up developing in greater or lesser degree, long term carpometacarpal arthrosis.