[Outpatient treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures leads to similar outcomes compared to inpatient treatment].

Metacarpal and phalangeal fracture fixation may be conducted in ambulatory or inpatient settings. However, to date, little is known about the outcomes of the surgical treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in the two population groups. The aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of patients undergoing treatment for metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in the ambulatory setting as compared to those in in-hospital settings. All patients who were surgically treated for metacarpal and phalangeal fractures at our institution were enrolled in this study. All patients treated non-surgically, as well as those who had sustained open fractures, were excluded from the study. A total of 85 patients met our inclusion criteria. Based on the length of hospital stay, patients were divided into two groups: inpatient (> 24 hours) and outpatient (< 24 hours). Fifty-three out of the eighty-five patients were available for follow-up examination. Patients were re-evaluated at a mean 17.9 months (range: 4-48 months; SD = 10 months) after surgery. Physical function in everyday life and specific hand function were compared between the groups using the DASH and Cooney outcome questionnaires. Range of motion of the affected side was measured using a standard goniometer and was evaluated as a proportion of total active motion (% TAM) relative to the contralateral uninjured side. Complication rates were calculated and compared between groups. There were no differences for the DASH outcome scores for phalangeal and metacarpal fractures on comparing both groups. There was also no statistically significant difference for the mean Cooney score for phalangeal fractures in both groups. The inpatient group had a significantly higher mean Cooney score (mean: 93.5; range, 70-100; SD 8.8; 95 % CI = 87.2, 99.8) after metacarpal fracture fixation than the outpatient group (mean: 82.5; range: 55-100; SD 14.5; 95 % CI = 75.3, 89.7) (p = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference on comparing the mean proportion of total active motion (% TAM) relative to the contralateral uninjured side between the inpatient and outpatient groups (p > 0.05). The overall complication rate was 20.7 % (n = 11). The most common complication was postoperative infection with six cases (three inpatients; three outpatients). Outpatient surgical treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures results in similar outcomes compared to inpatient treatment. Outpatient treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures should be considered whenever possible.