Proximal Phalanx Fractures (P1 Fractures)
ðđ Key Clinical Importance
- āļāļ ~20% āļāļāļ phalanx fractures
- āļĄีāđāļāļ§āđāļ้āļĄāđāļิāļ angulation āđāļĨāļ° rotation
deformity āļĄāļēāļāļี่āļŠุāļ
- āļŦāļēāļāļĢัāļāļĐāļēāđāļĄ่āđāļŦāļĄāļēāļ°āļŠāļĄ → āđāļิāļ extensor lag, flexion contracture, malrotation
āļŠ่āļāļāļĨāļāļēāļ§āļĢāļ่āļāļāļēāļĢāđāļ้āļāļēāļāļĄืāļ
- āļ้āļāļāđāļ้āļēāđāļ āđāļĢāļāļึāļāļāļēāļāļāļĨ้āļēāļĄāđāļื้āļ intrinsic āđāļĨāļ° extrinsic āđāļื่āļāļัāļāđāļĨāļ°āļāļēāļĄāļāļĢāļ°āļูāļāļāļĒ่āļēāļāļูāļāļ้āļāļ
ðđ Relevant Anatomy
|
Structure |
Action |
āļāļĨāļ่āļ fracture
fragment |
|
Lumbricals & Interossei
(insert base of P1) |
MCP flexion, IP extension |
āļึāļ proximal
fragment āđāļŦ้ flex →
apex volar angulation |
|
Extensor digitorum (dorsal) |
MCP extension |
āļึāļ distal
fragment āđāļŦ้ extend →
extensor lag |
|
Flexor tendons (volar) |
DIP, PIP flexion |
āļāļēāļāļāļģāđāļŦ้ distal
fragment volar displacement āļ้āļē fracture āļāļ |
ð āļāļģāđāļŦāļ่āļ
MCP flexed + Wrist extended →
āļ่āļ§āļĒāļĨāļāđāļĢāļāļึāļāđāļĨāļ°āļāļģāđāļŦ้āļāļēāļĢāļัāļāđāļĢีāļĒāļāļāļĢāļ°āļูāļāđāļŠāļีāļĒāļĢāļี่āļŠุāļ
ðđ Mechanism of Injury
- Direct
blow → transverse
/ comminuted (unstable)
- Twisting
→ oblique / spiral
(rotation, shortening)
- Hyperextension
+ deviation →
collateral ligament avulsion
- Longitudinal
compression →
condylar fracture
ðđ Clinical Presentation
& Exam
- āļāļēāļāļēāļĢ: āļāļ§āļ āļāļ§āļĄ āđāļāļĨื่āļāļāđāļŦāļ§āļĨāļģāļāļēāļ
- āļāļĢāļ§āļ deformity: angulation, shortening, rotation
- āļāļĢāļ§āļ motion: FDP, FDS, extensor tendon
- āļāļĢāļ°āđāļĄิāļ NV: two-point discrimination (~4–5 mm), cap refill
<2s
- Rotation
deformity: āđāļŦ้āļāļāđāļ้āļāļāļิ้āļ§ → āļāļĨāļēāļĒāļิ้āļ§āļāļ§āļĢāļี้āđāļāļāļēāļ
scaphoid; āļŦ้āļēāļĄāļĄี finger overlap
ðđ Imaging
- PA,
lateral, oblique view
- āļู:
- apex
volar angulation (common)
- rotation
(āļู cortical edges)
- intra-articular
involvement
- shortening
>2 mm āđāļĄ่āļĒāļāļĄāļĢัāļ
- angulation
>10° āđāļĄ่āļĒāļāļĄāļĢัāļ
- rotation
= āđāļĄ่āļĒāļāļĄāļĢัāļāđāļĄ้āđāļĨ็āļāļ้āļāļĒ
ðđ Indications for
Referral
✅ āļ้āļāļāļŠ่āļāļĄืāļ/āļāļāļĢ์āđāļāļัāļāļี āļ้āļē:
- Open
fracture / NV compromise
- Intra-articular
fracture
- Unstable
fracture (spiral, oblique, comminuted)
- Rotational
deformity
- Angulation
>10°, shortening >2 mm
- Reduction
āļāļāđāļ§้āđāļĄ่āđāļ้
- tendon
injury āļĢ่āļ§āļĄ
ðđ Initial Management in
ED
ðĒ Stable, nondisplaced
- Buddy
taping + splint (hand-based or gutter)
- MCP
flexion 70–90°, PIP/DIP full extension
- Reevaluate
1 āļŠัāļāļāļēāļŦ์ → āļ่āļāļุāļ 1–2 āļŠัāļāļāļēāļŦ์
- Immobilization
3–4 wks, then begin ROM
- Total
healing time: 4–6 wks clinical, radiographic up to 6 mos
ðĄ Displaced / Angulated
(closed reduction possible)
Closed reduction technique:
1.
Digital block
2.
Flex MCP & PIP to 90°
3.
Apply 3-point pressure:
o reduce
proximal fragment dorsally
o distal
fragment volarly
4.
Splint: Radial/Ulnar gutter + buddy tape
o Wrist
20–30° extension
o MCP
70–90° flexion
o PIP/DIP
extension
Post-reduction criteria
- Rotation
= 0
- Shortening
≤2
mm
- Angulation
≤10°
- Displacement
≤1–2
mm
ð If alignment lost → immediate referral
ðī Unstable Fractures
(require surgery)
- Spiral
/ oblique
- Intra-articular
- Comminuted
- Condylar
Type II/III
- Large
avulsion fragment
- Loss
of reduction
ðđ Definitive Treatment
& Follow-up
|
Phase |
Intervention |
Timeframe |
|
Acute 1–2 wks |
Splint + check reduction |
1 wk intervals |
|
Healing 3–4 wks |
Begin ROM (if stable) |
prevent extensor lag |
|
Strength recovery |
Buddy tape support |
4–6 wks extra |
|
Return to work/sport |
When pain-free, ROM >80%,
radiographic healing |
6–12 wks on average |
ðđ Complications
- Malrotation
→ functional
impairment
- Extensor
lag from poor positioning
- Flexion
contracture (especially if immobilization āļāļēāļāđāļิāļāđāļ)
- Nonunion
(rare)
- BoutonniÃĻre
deformity (āļ้āļēāļāļĨāļēāļ central slip injury)
- Stiffness
of IP joints (most common)
ðđ ED Quick Checklist
☑ Pain/swelling + mechanism → suspect P1 fracture
☑ X-ray 3 views
☑ Check: NV status, tendon function, rotation
☑ Identify: stable vs unstable
☑ Treat:
- Stable
→ buddy + splint
- Displaced
→ closed reduction
+ splint
- Unstable/intra-articular
→ urgent referral
☑ Splint in intrinsic plus position: MCP flex 70–90°, IP full extension
☑ Arrange follow-up within 1 week
āđāļĄ่āļĄีāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļิāļāđāļŦ็āļ:
āđāļŠāļāļāļāļ§āļēāļĄāļิāļāđāļŦ็āļ