ISPUB.COM The Internet Journal of Hand Surgery Volume 1 Number 1 1 of 6 Pattern Of Hand Injuries In A Teaching Hospital Of A Developing Country: A Three Year Review Of Cases I Adigun, K Ogundipe, A Aderibigbe Citation I Adigun, K Ogundipe, A Aderibigbe. Pattern Of Hand Injuries In A Teaching Hospital Of A Developing Country: A Three Year Review Of Cases. The Internet Journal of Hand Surgery. 2006 Volume 1 Number 1. Abstract CONTEXT: Hand injuries are common, responsible for a significant hospital emergency visit, most of which are to non hand specialists. The pattern of the injuries varies from place to place. It is pertinent that those who may come across the patients understand this pattern.METHOD: A retrospective review of records of patients presenting with hand injuries to the emergency unit over a three year period was carried out highlighting the pattern of the injury.RESULTS: A total of 57 patients predominantly males sustained hand injuries. Most of the patients were in their 20s. The injuries occurred mostly at work with road traffic injury been the commonest cause of injury followed by machines. Students and drivers are the main victim, and amputation injury the usual injury sustained. Soft tissue injuries occurred in 76% of cases and bony injuries occur 24% of cases. CONCLUSION: Understanding the pattern of injury can impart positively on the management of hand injuries. INTRODUCTION Hand injuries are common, accounting for nearly 10% of hospital Emergency Department visits 1 . The hand with its 27 muscles and 27 bones is strong, flexible and able to perform many fine movements. In view of this intricate design and function of the hand any injury to the structures of the hand carries the potential for serious handicap. A rapid and accurate initial evaluation therefore remains the goal in reducing this risk. Diagnosis and treatment of significant hand injuries are very complex and should be performed by a specialist. In this regard the plastic or orthopaedic surgeons are mostly involved in the management of the hand injuries; however the initial presentation is to the emergency ward where they are seen by the non-specialists who may not thoroughly understand the peculiarity of the hand injuries and their management. The dilemma in management is compounded by the paucity of literature on the pattern of hand injury in this environment as very few studies had been done in this locality on the pattern of the hand injuries presenting to us. This makes hand injury an often mismanaged injury. The hand is at risk of injury from a number of causes, ranging from road traffic injuries to occupational hazards to sporting activities to domestic injuries. This study evaluates the peculiarities of the epidemiology of the various causes of hand injury and the pattern of presentation in our locality. For the purpose of these study the fingers, thumb and the palmar and dorsal surfaces of the hand are considered as a single anatomical unit – the hand. METHOD AND PATIENTS A retrospective study of patients that presented to the plastic surgery unit with hand injuries over a three (3) year period from 2005 to 2007 was carried out. The case files of these 57 patients that were managed in the division over this period were retrieved and analysed. The demographic data: age, sex, occupation, as well as the handedness, place and cause of injury were retrieved and inputted in a database created using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 13. The hand injured was noted as well as the part of the hand injured; digits, dorsum and / or palm, finger(s) and structures injured were also retrieved for each patient. A descriptive analysis of the data was done by invoking the frequency parameter of the SPSS. The results were presented in tables and charts using the Microsoft Excel 2007 software. RESULTS There were 51 (89.5%) males and 6 (10.5%) females among the 57 patients managed during this period. Two peaks were observed in the age distribution, one at the 0-10 age group and the other at the 21-30 and 31-40 age groups, with the highest incidence at the latter (Figure 1).