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Hand Infection

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Hand Infection, Infected Hand, Infected Finger, Finger Infection

  • See also
  1. Hand Dermatitis
  • Types
  1. Finger tip (superficial Hand Infections)
    1. Acute Paronychia
    2. Chronic Paronychia
    3. Felon
    4. Herpetic Whitlow
  2. Deep Hand Infections
    1. Infected open Fracture (e.g. fifth Metacarpal Fracture)
    2. Suppurative Tenosynovitis
    3. Human Bite (due to clenched fist injury)
  3. Regional Infections
    1. Cellulitis
    2. Nodular Lymphangitis
  • Differential Diagnosis
  • Non-infectious Causes of Hand Lesions
  1. Acute calcific Tendinitis
  2. Chronic Paronychia
  3. Hand Dermatitis
  4. Contact Dermatitis
  5. Dyshidrotic Eczema
  6. Foreign body skin reaction
  7. Inflammatory Arthritis
  8. Pyogenic Granuloma
  • Management
  1. Treat for specific causes above
  2. General measures
    1. See Cellulitis for general measures
    2. Tetanus Prophylaxis for open wounds
    3. Irrigate open wounds
    4. Incision and Drainage for abscesses
    5. Surgical Debridement for necrotic tissue within wound
    6. Rest and elevate the affected hand (reduces edema)
    7. Apply warm compresses to the affected hand (increases local Blood Flow and antibiotic delivery)
    8. Splint in a position of function (decreases risk of flexion contractures)
  3. Open Fracture
    1. Emergent orthopedic Consultation
    2. Antibiotic coverage
      1. Start with First Generation Cephalosporin
      2. Add Aminoglycoside for contaminated wounds
      3. Add high dose Penicillin if Clostridium suspected
  • References
  1. Rerucha (2019) Am Fam Physician 99(4):228-36 [PubMed]