Introduction

The importance of hand in human life is unimaginable. From an evolutionary aspect, our hands were relieved from duties of locomotion when we became bipeds. Many of our mental processes are developed by feeling and movements of hand.

The hand is composed of tough material together with a machinery of much refinement and tissues of great delicacy and specialization. The hand infiltrated and gutted by infections create several problems. After the tissues have sloughed out and the storm of infection is over, all the tissues contract and movable parts become bound with a cicatrix. Much of this complications can be prevented by early treatment of infection. As anywhere else, prevention is better than reconstruction of a frozen hand which requires specialized technique, place and person.

Materials and Methods

The aim of the study was to know the pattern of acute pyogenic hand infection in relation to age, sex, etiology, occupation, type of treatment and complication if any.

This retrospective study was done at caritas hospital, Kottayam Kerala from 1-1-2008 to 3-12-2010 by reviewing the case files. The present study consists of 50 cases of acute pyogenic infection. All were treated either by conservative treatment or by incision and drainage.

1. Bingham, D.I.C: Acute infections of the hand surg. Clin. North Am. 40, 1285-1298, 1960.
2. Boffard K.D.: The hand 466-499 in Decker Le Mc Gregor’s synopsis of surgical anatomy 12^th
3. Lancet 1951, Jan.pp. 196-199.
4. Burton R.I. Hand 2061-2100 in Schwartz S.I/
5. Stoner, E.H., spencer F.C., principles of surgery 4^th
6. Certer, S.J. Burman, S.O, MerSheimer, W.L. Treatment of digital tenosynovitis by irrigation which H₂O₂ and Antibiotic Ann. Surg. 163: 645-650,1966.
7. Eaton, R.C. Butch P.D. Antibiotic guidelines foe hand infections surg. Gyn. Obst. 130: 119-120.
8. Gorden I.: Expectant treatment of pyogenic infections of the hand with special reference to infection of flexor aspect of the fingers Br.J.sur.38:331,1950.
9. Kanaval A.B., Infections of the hand a guide to surgical treatment of acute and chronic suppurative processes in the fingers, hand and forearm, 7^th
10. Naviser, R.J. infections 771-790 in green D.P. operative hand surgery newyork.
11. Rains A.J.H., Ritchie bailey and Love’s short practice of surgery 19^th London ELBS, 1986.
12. Ramamurthy S. Anesthesis page 25-51 in green D.P. ED. operative hand surgery newyork.
13. Green D.P. principles pp. 1-24 in Green D.P operative hand surgery newyork.
14. Hooper G. : operations on the hand and fingers 131-153 in Rintaul R.F.ED Farquchansons text of operative surgery 7^th London. Churchil Livingston.
15. M. Rayan et al,. microbiologic flora of human fingernails, Vol. 12 A No 4, july 1987, pp 604-606.
16. C. Binghanm, M.B. Acute infections of the hand pp. 1284-1291, SCNA 1960.
17. Joan Sneddon, treatment of infections of the hand pp. 786-790, practitioner, 1979.
18. Micheal R.H. Hand infections, orthopedic clin,. North Am. Pp 171-185, Vol. 23, jan. 1992.
19. Orthopedic clinic of North Am. 6, 1063, to 1103,1975.
20. The Journal of Hand Surgery Volume 39, Issue 8, August 2014, Pages 1628-1635

Dr Jojo.V. Joseph

Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Caritas Cancer Institute, Kottayam