Back to 2026 ePosters
BURDEN OF OPERATIVE HAND TRAUMA IN MEXICO
Srinithya R Gillipelli, BA
1, Taylor Wurdeman, MD MPH
2, Nikathan S Kumar, MD MS
2, Ramya Reddy, BS
2, Felipe Vega-Rivera, MD
3, Arturo Cervantes, MD
4, Kavitha Ranganathan, MD
2, John G Meara, MD DMD MBA
2, Tarsicio Uribe-Leitz, MD MPH
2; Carlos Gargollo Orvananos, MD
5(1)Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, (2)Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, (3)Department of Surgery, Hospital Angeles Lomas, Mexico City, EM, Mexico, (4)Anáhuac Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Anáhuac, Huixquilucan, EM, Mexico, (5)Hospital General "Dr. Manuel Gea González", Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Background: Hand trauma (HT) causes functional, economic, and psychosocial consequences. In Mexico, trauma-related injuries, including HT, constitute a burden on the healthcare system. Limited access to specialized surgical care and prolonged rehabilitation present additional challenges. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiology, geographic distribution, and outcomes of operative HT in Mexico.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of a national hospital registry from January to December 2022 identified HT cases using ICD-10 diagnostic codes and surgical interventions via ICD-9 procedure codes. Data analyzed included demographics, mechanisms of injury, injury patterns, geographic distribution, and clinical outcomes such as length of stay (LOS), postoperative infections, and mortality. Descriptive statistics and geographic trends were evaluated.
Results: Of 462,103 traumas, 30,911 (6.7%) involved HT, with 12,026 (38.9%) requiring surgical intervention. Fractures constituted 5,282 cases (17.1%), most commonly finger fractures excluding the thumb (n=1,774, 33.6%), combined wrist and hand fractures (n=1,280, 24.2%), and metacarpal fractures excluding the first metacarpal (n=1,181, 22.4%). Median patient age was 30 years (IQR=20-45); 80.5% (n=9,677) were male. Falls and exposure to mechanical forces caused 6,840 cases (22.1%), affecting older adults (n=2,345, 34.3%) and children (n=1,277, 18.7%). Road traffic accidents accounted for 1,258 cases (4.1%), with the highest concentrations in Mexico City (n=217, 17.3%) and Guanajuato (n=156, 12.4%). Interpersonal violence contributed 1,117 cases (3.6%), most prevalent in Veracruz (n=199, 17.8%) and Mexico City (n=198, 17.7%). The highest rate of operative hand trauma was in Colima, with 4.17 cases per 10,000 people (Figure 1). Median LOS was 1 day (IQR=0-3), with Campeche reporting the longest median LOS (4 days). Postoperative infections occurred in 39 cases (0.13%).
Conclusions: Hand trauma in Mexico disproportionately affects adult males, with falls and exposure to mechanical forces being the primary mechanisms of injury. Geographic variability in incidence and outcomes highlights regional inequities in capacity for HT care in Mexico.
Back to 2026 ePosters
