Injury
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Four cases of unstable fracture-dislocation of the fifth carpometacarpal joint are reproted, including 3 isolated dorsal fracture-dislocation and 1 dorsal fracture-dislocation associated with a fracture of the fourth metacarpal bone. All cases required open reduction and Kirschner wire fixation which resulted in good function. Attention is drawn to the frequent delay in diagnosis. The applied anatomy is discussed.
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Case Reports Comparative Study
Spinal injuries in belt-wearing car occupants killed by head-on collisions.
In 34 post-mortem examinations of car occupants wearing seat belts and killed in straight or oblique head-on collisions, a thorough investigation of the spine was performed. The autopsy results were correlated with the findings in the cars in order to reconstruct the events when the occupant's body struck the interior of the car. In 2 cases the victims had worn lap belts, in 15 cases shoulder belts and in 17 cases combined shoulder-lap belts (three-point belts). ⋯ When a slight impact of the head occurred minor injuries to the lower cervical spine were seen. Injuries to the thoracolumbar spine in the cases examined were the consequence of a violent extension between the upper part of the trunk held back by the shoulder belt and the pelvis restrained by the lap belt or by the knees striking the fascia panel. In front seat occupants this extension can be increased if either rear seat occupants without belts or heavy objects on the rear seat are projected forwards against their backs.