Boxer’s fracture: management and outcomes
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Boxer’s fracture: management and outcomes

Julie Eldridge Emergency nurse practitioner, Royal London Hospital, London
Daniel Apau Lecturer in advanced practice, City University London

Julie Eldridge and Daniel Apau discuss an evaluation of function in patients with uncomplicated fracture to the neck of the fifth metacarpal who have been treated in emergency departments

Boxer’s fractures are common hand injuries, but their management varies greatly. Two years ago, a boxer’s fracture care pathway was developed for use in the Royal London Hospital emergency department to standardise management. This article describes a clinical service evaluation carried out to test the validity of the pathway. The evaluation examined the functional outcomes of patients with boxer’s fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation who were discharged with no follow up. Findings show that most returned to work immediately and had good functional outcomes, which suggests that the pathway is safe for uncomplicated fractures with 50° or less palmar angulation.

Emergency Nurse. 23, 4, 24-30. doi: 10.7748/en.23.4.24.e1438

Correspondence

juliedawn98@yahoo.com

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 23 March 2015

Accepted: 22 June 2015

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