{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T16:36:24Z","timestamp":1787070984505,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772150400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background:<\/jats:title>\n Fractures of the metacarpal bones are common injuries of the hand that can be managed surgically with K-wire, intramedullary screws or plates. The study aimed to compare the radiological and functional outcomes of metacarpal shaft fractures treated with K-wire and plate fixation.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methodology:<\/jats:title>\n \n A prospective study comprising 100 patients with metacarpal shaft fractures was recruited in a nonrandomized manner and divided into two groups (\n n<\/jats:italic>\n = 50 per group) and followed up for 9 and 14 months. Participants in one group were fixed using K-wire, while fractures in the other group were fixed using plates. The outcome variables included time for union, functional outcomes (Disability of the Shoulder, Arm, and Hand scores), pain scores (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]), metacarpophalangeal joint-range of motion (MCPJ-ROM) (using single-axis manual goniometry), and possible complications.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results:<\/jats:title>\n \n The median time of union was around 14 weeks in the plate group when compared to 17 weeks in the K-wire group (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.001). Overall functional outcomes were significantly better among participants in the plate group after 9 and 14 months, respectively (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.001). However, the median MCP joint active ROM (A-ROM) was found to be around 79.2\u00b0 (88%) and 84.6\u00b0 (94%) in the plating group and the K-wire group, respectively, at the end of 14 months. Median pain score was around 2 and 3 in the K-wire and the plating groups at the end of 9 months, respectively (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.001), but were the same at the end of 14 months. Median flexion MCPJ-AROM was better among participants fixed with K-wire both after 9 months (73.8\u00b0 vs. 64.8\u00b0) and 14 months (84.6\u00b0 vs. 79.2\u00b0), respectively. In terms of complications, there were 3 (6%) nonunion rates and 6 (3%) pin tract infections among the K-wire group, whereas there was only one case of nonunion among the plating group at the 14\n th<\/jats:sup>\n month (\n P<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.041).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions:<\/jats:title>\n Fixing metacarpal fractures using plates resulted in better overall functional outcomes with early union of fracture segments. However, pain scores were less in the K-wire group with better MCPJ-ROM among participants.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/aam.aam_266_24","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T10:00:15Z","timestamp":1772100015000},"page":"444-448","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["An Analysis of the Results of Intramedullary K-wire Fixation versus Plating in Fractures of the Metacarpal Shaft"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Renjith R.","family":"John","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Prem","family":"Kotian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"U. Keerthan Ranga","family":"Nayak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Prajwal S.","family":"Mane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charu","family":"Eapen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Premjit R","family":"Sujir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Karnataka, 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Extremity Collaborative Group (UECG)","volume":"29","author":"Hudak","year":"1996","journal-title":"Am J Ind Med"},{"key":"R13-20260311","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e26566","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000026566","article-title":"Comparative analysis of the effects of AO mini-plate and Kirschner wire pinning in the metacarpal fractures:A retrospective study","volume":"100","author":"Lv","year":"2021","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltimore)"},{"key":"R14-20260311","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.52312\/jdrs.2021.40","article-title":"Comparison of clinical and radiological results of fixation methods with retrograde intramedullary Kirschner wire and plate-screw in extra-articular metacarpal fractures","volume":"32","author":"Baydar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Jt Dis Relat Surg"},{"issue":"Suppl 10","key":"R15-20260311","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1097\/01.GOX.0000899128.29950.c1","article-title":"Comparison of 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