USE OF TECTONIC MAGNET
FOR TREATMENT OF HAND AFTER GUN SHOT

Dr. Richard Rogachefsky Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Jackson Memorial Hospital
University of Miami Medical School, Miami, Florida

INITIAL EVALUATION

The patient L.V. is a 70 year old white male who was shot at close range through the left limb. The patient was brought to Jackson Memorial Hospital and had a severely comminuted fracture through the 1st metacarpal and trapezium with a large open wound. He initially underwent excision and debridement in the operating room of all the dead soft tissue and bone. He was placed on intravenous antibiotics. Plain radiograph showed complete destruction of most of the 1st metacarpal and the trapezium with the thumb completely unstable.

EXTERNAL FIXATION

The patient was taken back to the operation room one week later and had the placement of an external fixator across the thumb and wrist to stabilize the thumb and placement of cancellous iliac crest bone graft where the trapezium and 1st metacarpal would normally be located.

MAGNETIC FIELD TREATMENT

On the 4th postoperative day a Tectonic - Type 1 magnet was placed over the region of the thumb where the bone graft had been placed and over the open wound. The magnet was left over the place of surgery for the entire period of treatment.

X-ray image after placing the fixator

X-ray image after 5.5 weeks use of Tectonic magnet

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Within 5 weeks the cancelous bone graft had completely consolidated into a column of bone and the wound was completely healed. The external fixator was removed at 6 weeks and the thumb was stable. Therapy with range of motion exercises was started.

Usually fusion especially of this magnitude with extensive bone loss does not fuse for at least 2-3 months. To have this thumb healed in a little over 1 month is very accelerated and is attributed to the magnetic field stimulation of the bone and bone graft.