Treatment of Pyogenic Flexor Tenosynovitis in the Emergency Department Setting With WALANT Technique.

BACKGROUND: The standard of care for treatment of pyogenic flexor tenosynovitis (PFT) involves antibiotic therapy and prompt irrigation of the flexor tendon sheath, traditionally performed in the operating room. With the acceptance of wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery and its potential ability to minimize time to flexor tendon sheath irrigation, we sought to determine whether closed irrigation of the flexor tendon sheath could be safely and effectively performed in the emergency department setting with WALANT technique. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of the senior author's hand surgery consultations over a 12-month period. Six patients were identified who were diagnosed with PFT and subsequently underwent irrigation of the flexor tendon sheath using WALANT technique. Patient outcomes such as length of hospital stay, need for reoperation, infectious etiology, perioperative complications, and postprocedure range of motion (ROM) were identified. RESULTS: Six patients with diagnosis of PFT underwent irrigation of the flexor tendon sheath in the emergency department with local anesthesia only. The irrigation procedures were all well-tolerated. One patient required reoperation due to lack of appropriate clinical improvement following initial irrigation. Four of 6 patients regained their preinjury ROM while the remaining 2 patients had mild proximal interphalangeal joint extension lag. There were no complications associated with the procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of PFT with closed irrigation of the flexor tendon sheath in the emergency department utilizing WALANT technique was safe, effective, and well-tolerated. Local anesthesia alone can be used effectively for irrigation procedures of the flexor tendon sheath.

Recurrent Syndrome of the Trephined in the Setting of Multiple Craniectomy and Cranioplasty.

Decompressive craniectomy is an increasingly implemented intervention for relief of intracranial hypertension refractory to medical therapy. Despite its therapeutic benefit, a myriad of short and long-term complications may arise when the once fixed-volume cranial vault remains decompressed. The authors present a case of recurrent Syndrome of the Trephined in a patient undergoing repeated craniectomy and cranioplasty.A 70-year old male with history significant for smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presented with frontoparietal subdural hematoma with midline shift following a ground level fall necessitating craniotomy and hematoma evacuation. Three months postoperatively, the patient developed an infection of his craniotomy bone flap necessitating craniectomy without cranioplasty. Six weeks post-craniectomy the patient began demonstrating right sided sensorimotor deficits with word finding difficulties. Alloplastic cranioplasty was performed following resolution of infection, with resolution of neurologic symptoms 6 weeks post cranioplasty. Due to recurrent cranioplasty infections, multiple alloplastic cranioplasties were performed, each with reliable re-demonstration of neurologic symptoms with craniectomy, and subsequent resolution following each cranioplasty. Final cranioplasty was successfully performed using a new alloplastic implant in combination with latissimus muscle flap, with subsequent return of neurologic function.Decompressive craniectomy is a life-saving procedure, but carries many short- and long-term complications, including the Syndrome of the Trephined. Our case is the first published report, to our knowledge, to demonstrate recurrent Syndrome of the Trephined as a complication of craniectomy, with reliable resolution of the syndrome with restoration of the cranial vault.

Treatment of an Uncommon High-Pressure Orbital Injection Injury.

Injection injuries occur most commonly in the hand and digits; however, there are a limited number of reports in the literature describing injection injuries involving the orbit. High-pressure orbital injection injuries pose a number of unique challenges to the treating physician, and the approach to treating these injuries remains controversial. Often times, the extent of tissue damage is not fully appreciated at presentation, which may lead to missed diagnoses or inadequate initial treatment. In this study, the authors describe a rare incidence of high-pressure orbital injection injury. A 19-year-old male presented to the emergency department after injection of his left orbit with oil-based paint. Worsening clinical symptoms and increasing intraocular pressures within the first 24 hours necessitated take back to the operating room for orbital decompression and debridement. After an initial improvement in symptoms, the patient's clinical status deteriorated again, requiring further orbital decompression and additional periorbital debridement. Two weeks after initial presentation, soft tissue reconstruction of the surgical wounds was performed with full thickness skin grafts. The patient's globe and vision were both preserved. Orbital injection injuries, though rare, are potential globe threatening injuries. Physicians should have a low threshold for intervention and patient's must be observed closely over the first 72 hours after injury. Early diagnosis, prompt debridement, and a multidisciplinary approach are keys to improving patient outcomes.

Spectacles under Pedicles: Eyewear Modification with the Paramedian Forehead Flap.

The paramedian forehead flap is a widely used method of nasal reconstruction. The flap requires a bridge of tissue from forehead to the nose, for a period of 2 to 3 weeks, before it can be divided at a second procedure. During this time, patients often have difficulty positioning and wearing their eyewear underneath the pedicle of the flap. Here we present a novel approach to the problem. It requires only a simple modification to the patient's eyewear and greatly facilitates wear and removal.