Which cast is used for hand fractures such as the metacarpal region?

• A. Thumb Spica Cast
• B. Cylinder Cast
• C. Cylinder Mold
• D. Short Leg Circular Cast

Answer: (A)

Immobilization of the hand fractures often needs to restrict motion at the joints involved, especially the thumb, to prevent disruption of alignment during healing. A thumb spica cast immobilizes the wrist and the first metacarpal/thumb, stabilizing the carpometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints. This setup effectively protects fractures in the metacarpal region by preventing bending or rotational movement of the metacarpals while allowing the rest of the fingers to stay relatively functional. Other options don’t provide this targeted immobilization: a cylinder cast or cylinder mold are general forms of casting that don’t specifically guard the thumb and its key joints, and a short leg circular cast is used for the leg, not the hand. So, immobilizing the thumb and wrist with a thumb spica cast is the best choice for metacarpal fractures.