• Roisin T Dolan, Ammar Al Khudairy, Paul Mc Kenna, Joseph S Butler, Joseph O'Beirne, and John F Quinlan.
• Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Waterford Regional Hospital, Waterford, Ireland. roshdolan@hotmail.com
• Am J Emerg Med. 2012 Nov 1;30(9):2084.e7-10.

AbstractMetacarpal fractures are common injuries, accounting for approximately 30% to 40% of all hand fractures and with a lifetime incidence of 2.5%. Traditionally regarded as an innocuous injury, metacarpal fractures tend to be associated with successful outcomes after closed reduction and immobilization. Hand compartment syndrome (HCS) is a rare clinical entity with potential devastating consequences in terms of loss of function and quality-of-life outcomes. We discuss the case of a 44-year-old woman presenting with multiple closed metacarpal fractures as a result of low-energy trauma, complicated by acute HCS. We review the presentation, clinical assessment, and optimal surgical management of acute HCS with reference to international literature.

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