A 24-year-old male repos that during a game of hoops (basketball), he tripped while driving the ball to the basket, and fell on his outstretched right hand with the palm down. Three days later, patient presented to the OPD with right wrist pain. On examination, the wrist was slightly swollen and tender but without deformity. The doctor instructed the patient to extend the right thumb, thereby accentuating the anatomical "snuffbox," which is extremely tender to deep palpation. The doctor advised to get a x ray of the wrist done. What is the most likely injured pa?
A- Hamate B- Pisiform C- Lunate D- scaphoid This young man tripped while playing basketball and stretched out his right hand to protect himself. His hand, with the palm down and probably deted to the side of the radius, took the brunt of the fall, resulting in significant impact force to the wrist. This resulted in pain and swelling of the wrist, especially on the radial side, with point tenderness deep in the anatomical snuffbox. This is the common mechanism for a fracture of the scaphoid carpal bone, the most commonly fractured carpal bone. Point tenderness over a bone or bony process is a hallmark of a fracture at that site. Radiologic confirmation of a fracture is impoant. The scaphoid bone has a unique blood supply, and proper reduction and alignment of the segments is necessary to decrease the risk of avascular necrosis.
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