Flashcards on Hand Infections: Diagnosis and Treatment
Hand Infections: Diagnosis and Treatment Guide for Students
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Hand space and deep infections
71 cards
Card 1
Question: What clinical sign differentiates a midpalmar space infection from other hand infections regarding palmar shape?
Answer: Loss of normal palmar concavity with the palm becoming convex (full, firm, and tender).
Card 2
Question: Which fingers are most affected (posture-wise) in a midpalmar space infection?
Answer: The middle and ring fingers assume a semi-flexed posture.
Card 3
Question: How does pain with passive finger extension in midpalmar space infection compare to pyogenic tenosynovitis?
Answer: Pain with passive extension is present but distinctly less than in pyogenic tenosynovitis.
Card 4
Question: What are the usual causes of midpalmar space infections?
Answer: Most commonly from penetrating injury; can also result from rupture of a tendon sheath infection of the long or ring finger into the midpalmar space.
Card 5
Question: How do hypothenar space infections typically arise?
Answer: Almost always from penetrating injury; can also occur from local spread of adjacent subcutaneous tissue abscesses.
Card 6
Question: Why do hypothenar space infections rarely spread to other palmar spaces?
Answer: Because the boundaries of the hypothenar space are well separated from other palmar spaces and bursae, preventing spread to or from adjacent palmar sp
Card 7
Question: What are the clinical signs that help distinguish a hypothenar space infection from other palmar infections?
Answer: Localized tenderness and swelling of the hypothenar eminence with absence of swelling in the palm and fingers and lack of flexor tendon involvement.
Card 8
Question: Where is the thenar space located anatomically in relation to the flexor tendons and metacarpals?
Answer: Between the thenar eminence and the third metacarpal, dorsal to the flexor tendons and volar to the metacarpals and interosseous muscle fasciae.
Card 9
Question: What forms the floor (dorsal boundary) of the thenar space?
Answer: The fascia covering the adductor pollicis muscle.
Card 10
Question: What structures form the superficial (volar) boundary of the thenar space?
Answer: The tendon sheath of the index finger and the palmar fascia.