A lead hand

MODERN

OPERATIVE

TECHNICS

A Lead A SIMPLE

HOLDING

DEVICE

Hand FOR

HAND

F. ROBERT BRUECKMANN, M.D., Indianapolis, From tbe.Marion Indiana.

County General Hospital, Indianapolis,

N

FIG. 2. Lead hand in position on the dorsum of the hand with the lead fingers wrapped around the patient’s fingers to hoId them in the desired position.

FIG. I. Lead hand. American

Journal

of Surgery.

Volume, 103, April 1962

Indiana

pie device. A photograph of a Iead hand hoIder was not obtained from the reviewed Iiterature, but FurIong [I] mentions its use and Howard [2] notes its use in the Scandinavian countries. Rank and Wakefield [J] demonstrate a wire frame-rubber band hand hoIder and comments on its aid in tendon surgery. Injury of the hands occurs predominantIy in aduIt patients, and the probIem of having assistants in surgery in comfortabIe positions and abIe to assist is ever present. When the injured hand is that of a chiId the problem is more acute. The use of the Iead hand has made surgery easier. (Figs. I and 2.) ReguIar 4 pound sheet Iead, avaiIabIe at IocaI

recent years more stress has been Iaid on teaching and practicing better care to the injured hand. For the past twenty-four months a Iead meta hand has been used successfuIIy in both acute and reconstructive surgery of the hand. The purpose of this paper is not to estabIish originaIity but to encourage usage of a sim-

I

SURGERY

$98

A Lead plumbling stores, was purchased in 8 by IO inch sizes for about fifty cents. Both adults’ and childrens’ hands were traced on the lead with the fingers spread widely and then cut out with tin snips. Since lead meIts at 327”c., autocIaving causes no probIem and the lead hands were routinely sterilized with the rest of the hand instruments. At surgery, after draping, the lead hand is positioned on the opposite side from the primary surgery and the lead fingers are wrapped around the patient’s fingers to hoId them in the desired position. The Gight of the Iead hand is

Hand suffkient to hold the patient’s hand on the table and the stiffness of the lead will maintain position. The need for having more usefu1 assistants in surgery of the hand has Iong been known. The use of a “helping Iead hand” is illustrated. REFERENCES I. FURLONG, R. Injuries

of the Hand, p. 20. Boston, 1957. Little, Brown & Co. 2. HOWARD, F. J\I. Personal communication, 1960. 3. RANK, B. K. and WAKEFIELD, A. R. Surgery of Repair, p. 4.2. Baltimore, 1960. Williams & Wilkins Co.

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