Surgical versus non-operative treatment for Bennett’s fractures of the thumb. A matched patient cohort study Dataset

<b>Aims:</b><br>Bennett’s fractures can be managed operatively or nonoperatively, but there is uncertainty regarding the long-term outcomes and superiority of each approach. This study evaluates whether surgical treatment offers superior medium-term outcomes compared to nonoperative management.<b>Methods:</b><br>We retrospectively reviewed patients treated surgically for displaced Bennett’s fractures over a four-year period in our unit. Each surgical patient was matched with a nonoperatively managed control. At a minimum of five years post-injury, patients were assessed in clinic for grip and pinch strength, pain, satisfaction, and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (bMHQ) and the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire.<b>Results:</b><br>Thirty-three surgically treated patients were identified and matched with nonoperative counterparts. At follow-up, the surgical group demonstrated significantly better grip strength, lower DASH scores, greater first web space angles, and higher satisfaction scores compared to the nonoperative group.<b>Conclusions:</b><br>While both surgical and nonoperative approaches can yield excellent outcomes when fracture reduction is adequately achieved and maintained, surgical fixation was associated with improved grip strength, functional scores, and patient satisfaction at five-year follow-up. Closed reduction and percutaneous pinning remains a reliable option when satisfactory reduction cannot be achieved in a nonoperative setting.