The consequences of punching glass.

We carried out a retrospective and prospective study of 67 patients who had sustained hand injuries from punching glass over a period of 33 months. All had consumed alcohol and had argued with a partner. The mean age was 25 years, 90% were male and 56% were unemployed. Seventy per cent of injuries occurred between 23.00 and 04.00 hours. Total damage included division of 149 tendons, 33 nerves and nine arteries. Fifty-two per cent of patients required admission for more than 1 day. The mean number of follow-up visits was 3.6 and the majority needed hand therapy and occupational therapy services. Cost per injury was estimated as 1,120 pounds. Such injuries cause major disability in an already disadvantaged section of society. The challenge is to educate the susceptible patient group.