Abstract :
The current economic crisis that affects Venezuela and other Latin-American countries takes its toll on the quality of life of their citizens, especially within the healthcare sector. The current management´s inefficiency allows only a few privileged ones access to cutting edge medical technology and techniques. Furthermore, inadequate healthcare management policies have succeeded in immersing Venezuela´s health centers in an unprecedented crisis. These conditions have forced the appearance of novel and creative methods on the part of emergency room doctors, who work with barely any resources and under critical conditions. Orthopedic surgery is one of the medical specialties with the most significant technological development, as evidenced by the numerous specialized instruments utilized. These specialized instruments are a rarity within health centers confronting the previously mentioned scenario. Upper limb fractures, in particular, are frequent emergency room trauma cases which have required the development of simple, rudimentary, cost-effective and efficient techniques. This paper presents a group of cases of unstable fractures within the metacarpal and phalangeal regions, with clear criteria for surgical solution (due to bony reduction and osteosynthesis) that were successfully treated through the use of novel techniques. These techniques required neither special materials nor surgical procedures; and in fact were performed within emergency rooms while maintaining the principles of antisepsis and fixation. These techniques utilize external fixation systems constructed with materials such as venepunction catheters, orthodontic glue, cast bandages, rubber bands, springs and even closet hangers´ wire, The results so far have been satisfactory and have provided patients with alternative cost-efficient trauma techniqu
