Salter-Harris type III and IV epiphyseal fractures in the hand treated with tension-band wiring.

Abstract

We present tension-band wiring in the treatment of Salter-Harris types III and IV avulsion fractures in the hand. By placing a small-gauge wire through the insertion of the ligament into the fracture fragment, accurate reduction and stability, allowing early mobilization, are achieved, avoiding many of the pitfalls and complications of other methods of internal fixation. The technique is simple and adheres to important physiological and biomechanical principles.