TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Surgery of the Hand and Wrist A1 - Lifchez, Scott D. A1 - Cho, Brian H. A2 - Brunicardi, F. Charles A2 - Andersen, Dana K. A2 - Billiar, Timothy R. A2 - Dunn, David L. A2 - Kao, Lillian S. A2 - Hunter, John G. A2 - Matthews, Jeffrey B. A2 - Pollock, Raphael E. Y1 - 2019 N1 - T2 - Schwartz's Principles of Surgery, 11e AB - Key Points Surgery of the hand is a regional specialty, integrating components of neurologic, orthopedic, plastic, and vascular surgery. Understanding hand anatomy is the key to proper diagnosis of injury, infection, and degenerative disease of the hand. After evaluation and/or treatment, patients should be splinted to protect the injured digits and keep the collateral ligaments of the injured joints on tension (metacarpophalangeal joints flexed, interphalangeal joints extended). Healing of an injured or diseased structure in the hand is not the endpoint of treatment; the goal of any intervention must be to obtain structure healing, relief of pain, and maximization of function. If a patient managed conservatively for cellulitis does not improve within 24 to 48 hours of appropriate intravenous antibiotics, abscess must be suspected. Clinical examination, particularly noting the area of greatest tenderness and/or inflammation, is the most useful diagnostic tool for hand infections. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1164320696 ER -