Thumb Trauma: No Easy Fix

Aditya Sood, MD, MBA; Mark S. Granick, MD

January 04, 2016

Case Presentation: A Sore Thumb

A 54-year-old man, left hand dominant, presents to the emergency department after a fall in which he landed on his left hand with a clenched fist. He reports a constant sharp pain to his left radial wrist. He denies any paresthesias, numbness, or tingling in his digits. He states that he is an avid racquetball player and needs his left hand "fixed." The patient has no other significant medical history.

Upon physical examination, the patient was found to have swelling and tenderness at his left thumb base. Varus angulation of the joint was grossly visible. He was neurovascularly intact and full motor and sensory function. Radiography of the right hand and wrist were obtained, which documented a Rolando fracture (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Posterior-anterior radiographic view, showing a Rolando fracture. Image courtesy of Mark S. Granick, MD

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Cite this: Thumb Trauma: No Easy Fix - Medscape - Jan 04, 2016.

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