ABSTRACT
Fractures of the long bones of the hand are of special interest
because of their frequency and their propensity to result in
functional loss. Closed treatment has been the mainstay of
management for these injuries but the failure of nonoperative
treatment on the more unstable fractures has prompted the
utilization of surgical methods. Internal fixation provides
improved final reductions but involves a trade off with
iatrogenic soft tissue injury. Flexible intramedullary (IM)
nailing of extra-articular metacarpal (MC) and proximal
phalangeal fractures provides ample fixation while avoiding
the soft tissue injury associated with plate and screw
application.
