The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of paediatric hand fractures (PHF) at a tertiary hospital in South China based on sex, age, mechanism of injury and anatomical region. A retrospective observational study was performed on children aged 15 years and younger who were referred for actual or suspected hand fractures between January 2016 and December 2020. Medical records and radiographs were reviewed for age at the time of injury, sex, site and fracture pattern and mechanism of injury. A total of 436 consecutive children with 478 hand fractures were reviewed. Hand fractures was more common in boys (281/436; 64.4%) than in girls (155/436; 35.6%), although most fractures occurred in children aged 0–3 years (198/436; 45.4%). Distal phalanges were the most commonly injured bones (184/478; 38.5%), and the base fractures were most common (151/476; 31.7%); the fifth digit was most commonly injured (150/478; 31.3%). Crush injuries were the leading cause of fracture in children younger than 6 years of age (207/325; 63.7%), whereas punch injuries were the major cause of injury in older age groups (55/153; 35.9%); 60.1% of the fractures were managed nonsurgically. This study showed patterns of PHF in a tertiary hospital in South China. It illustrates the local variability across sex, age group, injury type and injury mechanism. Such demographic data will be valuable for optimally resourcing healthcare systems locally and help guide prevention policies.

本研究旨在根据性别、年龄、损伤机制和解剖部位，评估华南地区某三级医院儿童手部骨折（PHF）的特征。对 2016 年 1 月至 2020 年 12 月期间因实际或疑似手部骨折而转诊的 15 岁及以下儿童进行了一项回顾性观察研究。损伤机制。总共对 436 名连续 478 例手部骨折的儿童进行了审查。男孩（281/436；64.4%）手部骨折比女孩（155/436；35.6%）更常见，但大多数骨折发生在 0-3 岁儿童（198/436；45.4%）。远端指骨是最常见的骨折（184/478；38.5%），基底部骨折最常见（151/476；31.7%）；第五根手指最常受伤 (150/478; 31.3%)。挤压伤是 6 岁以下儿童骨折的主要原因（207/325；63.7%），而拳打伤是较大年龄组受伤的主要原因（55/153；35.9%）；60.1% 的骨折通过非手术治疗。本研究显示了华南地区一家三级医院的 PHF 模式。它说明了性别、年龄组、损伤类型和损伤机制之间的局部变异性。此类人口统计数据对于优化当地医疗保健系统的资源配置非常有价值，并有助于指导预防政策。