Caplan fracture
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Caplan fracture PIP joint orthopedics classification treatment
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"Caplan fracture" eponym orthopedics hand finger
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"Caplan fracture" site:radiopaedia.org OR site:orthobullets.com OR site:wheelessonline.com
The search confirms there is no recognized eponymous "Caplan fracture" in orthopedic literature. The only well-known "Caplan" in medicine refers to Caplan syndrome (rheumatoid pneumoconiosis). It's possible the user may be thinking of a different eponym - perhaps "Kaplan" or confusing it with another similar-sounding fracture name. Let me provide a comprehensive, honest answer.
"Caplan Fracture" - Does It Exist?
"Caplan fracture" is not a recognized eponymous fracture in the orthopedic or hand surgery literature. A thorough search of Rockwood & Green's Fractures in Adults (10th ed, 2025), the Wikipedia list of eponymous fractures, Radiopaedia, Orthobullets, and PubMed finds no fracture named after "Caplan."
The only well-known medical entity with the Caplan name is:
Caplan Syndrome (rheumatoid pneumoconiosis)
- Combination of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis + pneumoconiosis (originally described in coal miners)
- Characterized by pulmonary nodules on CXR/CT in an RA patient with dust exposure
- Not a fracture at all
You May Be Thinking Of...
Here are some similar-sounding named fractures that are commonly tested and discussed:
| Eponym | What it is |
|---|---|
| Kaplan | "Kaplan approach" - surgical approach to the elbow (not a fracture) |
| Chauffeur's fracture | Intra-articular radial styloid fracture from forced ulnar deviation |
| Chance fracture | Horizontal vertebral body fracture from hyperflexion (seatbelt injury) |
| Bennett's fracture | Intra-articular fracture at base of 1st metacarpal with CMC subluxation |
| Rolando fracture | Comminuted intra-articular fracture at base of 1st metacarpal |
| Volar plate avulsion fracture | Avulsion of volar plate at PIP joint base with dorsal dislocation (no specific eponym but classically described) |
PIP Joint Volar Base Fracture-Dislocation (What You May Have Meant)
If you were asking about dorsal fracture-dislocation of the PIP joint (volar plate avulsion + dorsal subluxation of the middle phalanx), this is a well-described injury - just not named "Caplan." Per Rockwood & Green's:
Mechanism: Hyperextension of the PIP joint causes volar plate avulsion ± fracture of the volar lip of the middle phalanx base. With axial loading, larger fragments and joint impaction occur (pilon fracture).
Classification (volar base fractures):
- Stable: <30% articular surface involved; stable in extension
- Tenuous: 30-50% articular surface; stable in <30° of flexion
- Unstable: >50% articular surface, or requires >30° flexion to maintain reduction
Radiographic sign: The "V-sign" on lateral X-ray - divergence of the dorsal articular surfaces indicates dorsal subluxation of the middle phalanx.
Treatment:
-
Stable (<30%): Early ROM, buddy taping
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Tenuous/reducible (<30° flexion): Dorsal extension-blocking splint; start at 30° block, increase 10°/week, discontinue at 4 weeks. >90° of flexion achieved in 88% of patients
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Unstable (>50%, or >30° flexion to hold reduction): Surgery - extension block pinning (K-wire), ORIF with volar plate arthroplasty, hemi-hamate arthroplasty, or dynamic external fixation
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Rockwood and Green's Fractures in Adults, 10th ed. (2025), pp. 1969-1985
Could you clarify where you encountered the term "Caplan fracture"? It's possible it is a regional term, a typo/mishearing of another eponym (e.g., "Kaplan", "Chance", "Chauffeur's"), or a very niche reference I have not encountered. I'd rather flag this uncertainty than give you inaccurate information.
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