ABSTRACT
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION
The hand is an instrument of both performance and protection. Accidents invari-
ably occur, resulting in fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges. The economic
cost of hand injuries is staggering. It is estimated that one-third of all injuries
involve the upper extremity. This involves 16 million patients per year in the
U.S. alone. It is estimated that 1.5 million hand fractures occur annually in the
U.S., which results in 16 million lost work days, 2 billion dollars in lost
wages, and 4 billion in costs to industry annually in the U.S. (1).
