Frequency of Patients Presenting with Hand Infection and Treatment modalities

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Author(s): ·Munir Alam,1 Saad Siddiqui,2 Hanan Amer Albishi,3 Rajeh Omar Alaklabi,4 Nawaf Alhumairi,5 Nasser Omair Altufayl,6 et all

Pages: 20-24 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.5455/pjps.249-1701965042


Background: Infections of the hand are one of the most common infections reported by physicians and surgeons and include: bite wounds, felon, necrotizing fasciitis, paronychia, flexor tenosynovitis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis and septic arthritis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the etiological factors, possible complications due to acute hand infection and treatment modalities performed in our patients.
Methodology: This was a prospective observational study conducted at King Abdullah Hospital, Bisha, Saudi Arabia, from May 2022 to April 2023. Patients of all age groups presenting with hand infections were included. Outcomes assessed were etiological factors, management and complications.
Results: 58 patients presented with hand infections during the study period. Male patients were 16 (27.5%) while females were 42 (72.4%). Majority of the patients were gardener/farmer by profession[n=15, (25.9%)]. Major mechanism of injury was penetrating trauma [n=41 (70.7%)]. Associated risk factors included diabetes mellitus in 13 (22.4%) , smoking in 13 (22.4%), and hypertension in 5 (8.6%). Surgical intervention included incision and drainage in 40 (68.9%) cases while amputation was performed in 3 (5.2%) cases. Most common organism causing infection was staphylococcus aureus 28 (48.30%) including methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Subcutaneous infection was the most common diagnosis on presentation (24., 41%).
Conclusion: Hand infections are a common presentation in the working age group. Identification of etiological patterns and risk factors is thus important for timely diagnosis and treatment of these potentially devastating infections.
Keywords | Diabetic hand, infection, amputation, smoking