Factors related to the resolution of treated hand infections.

One hundred thirty-eight patients with acute hand infection (81% deep) treated from 1970 to 1980 in hospital were reviewed. Resolution time of infection was slow, 8 days or longer in 57% of 135 patients and 15 days or longer in 28%. Such slow resolution occurred in infection of closed anatomical spaces and included 50% of all pulp space and joint infections, 23% of tenosynovitis, and 24% of subcutaneous dorsal had infections. There was a direct correlation between increasing treatment delay and slower resolution of infections in pulp spaces, palmar spaces, joints, and tendon sheaths. If the mean treatment delay was greater than a brief 2 1/2 days, 69% of tenosynovitis showed delayed resolution. Other factors associated with the rate of resolution were adequacy of surgical drainage, efficacy of antibiotics, and associated diabetes mellitus.