PLASTER OF PARIS SPLINTAGE FOR THE HAND - VOLAR OR DORSAL

The effectiveness of a volar or a dorsal plaster of Paris slab for spl inting a hand in the 'safe' position was studied prospectively. Sevent y-two splints, comprising 36 dorsal and 36 volar, were applied. Measur ements of the metarcarpophalangeal joint angle and the proximal interp halangeal joint angle on the lateral radiograph revealed the volar spl int to be significantly more consistent in securing the proximal inter phalangeal joint angle at less than 15-degrees. There was no significa nt difference between volar or dorsal splints for the metarcarpophalan geal joint angle. As the volar splint was also subjectively more comfo rtable, its use is recommended.