SUBMIT

Metacarpal fractures are common, accounting for 40% of all hand injuries and many can be treated non-operatively. However, surgery is reserved for cases in which an adequate reduction of both angular and rotational deformity cannot be maintained or where an adjacent ray is damaged. Varieties of surgical strategies exist, including percutaneous Kirschner wiring, intramedullary fixation, and fixation with plate and screw construction. A plate secured along the dorsal midline of the metacarpal has been shown to be the best biomechanical method of fixation, and allows early aggressive hand therapy post-operatively. Traditionally, bicortical fixation is the standard practice, where both dorsal and palmar cortices of the metacarpal are drilled though. However, such practice is not without risk. In this method, the flexor tendons and neurovascular bundles at risk from over-zealous drilling through the palmar cortice. Correct screw size selection is also critical as overly long screws can irritate and cause rupture of flexor tendon. More recently, with the advent of a new generation of locking plates, unicortical fixation, where only the near cortex is drilled, has been used to treat fractures. Unicortical fixation is a surgically less complex operation, can theoretically cause less damage to surrounding soft tissues and avoids the complications associated with incorrectly sized screws. This trial aims to compares the functional outcomes and complications of patients having unicortical versus bicortical fixation for diaphyseal metacarpal fractures.