A Two-Step Approach to the Surgical Treatment of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas.

Background: Nowadays, limb-sparing procedures are the gold standard in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas of the limbs. Wide tumor resection with appropriate oncological margins, reconstruction, and stabilization of the involved bone and joint and restoration of the soft tissue lost are essential in order to obtain good clinical and functional outcomes. Tumor excision and soft-tissue reconstruction performed in one-step surgery is chosen by many centers as the preferred approach; however, according to our experience in some selected patients, two-step surgery performed using a dermal regeneration template first and then a margin revision, taking into account the definitive results of the anatomopathological exam conducted over the surgical specimen from the previous surgery, associated with definitive reconstruction surgery over a healthy bed of granulated tissue, showed many potential benefits. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on thirteen patients who underwent a two-step reconstruction procedure using dermal substitution after soft-tissue sarcoma excision. Results: Clinically, the enrolled patients achieved excellent contour and cosmesis of their surgical wounds, with a mean VSS value of 3.07. During the follow-up period, no local recurrences were observed in any patient. Conclusions: Two-step surgery represents the most suitable solution to allow surgical radicality with minimal recurrency and adequate soft-tissue reconstruction, avoiding the possibility of wasting autologous tissue. Our patients generally embraced this approach and the management that followed.

Surgical Outcomes and Complications of Custom-Made Prostheses in Upper Limb Oncological Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Bone tumors of the upper limb are a common cause of bone pain and pathological fractures in both old and young populations. Surgical reconstruction and limb salvage have become valid options for these patients despite this kind of surgery being challenging due to the need for wide bone resection and the involvement of surrounding soft tissues. Computer-assisted technology helps the surgeon in pre-operative planning and in designing customized implants. The aim of this study was to investigate the surgical outcomes and complications of custom-made prostheses in oncologic reconstruction of the upper limb and if they are reliable options for patients suffering from aggressive tumors. An electronic search on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Knowledge was conducted to identify all available articles on the use of custom-made prostheses in oncological resections of the upper limb. Twenty-one studies were included in the review, comprising a total of 145 patients with a mean age of 33.68 years. The bone involved was the humerus in 93 patients, and the radius was involved in 36 patients. There were only six cases involving proximal ulna, three cases involving the scapula, and seven cases involving the elbow as well as soft tissues around it. The most frequent primary tumor was the giant cell tumor, with 36 cases, followed by osteosarcoma with 25 cases, Ewing Sarcoma with 17 cases, and Chondrosarcoma with 7 total cases. Forty patients were affected by bone metastases (such as renal cell cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and rectal cancer) or hematologic diseases involving bone (lymphoma, myeloma, or non-Hodgkin disease). Custom-made prostheses are a viable option for patients who suffer from malignant tumors in their upper limbs. They are a reliable aid for surgeons in cases of extensive resections.

Tenoplasty in suspension with or without tendon interposition: A prospective randomized study in the treatment of advanced thumb carpometacarpal arthritis.

Introduction: The aim of this prospective and randomized study is to analyze and compare the outcomes of two surgical techniques for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis (Eaton-Littler grade III and IV). Materials and methods: 52 consecutive patients underwent surgical intervention by two different surgical techniques and checked for subjective outcomes (DASH, NPRS), objective outcomes (ROM, opposition test, grinding test, pulp pinch, hand grip) and radiographic outcomes. Surgical time was calculated. Results: 26 patients underwent suspension arthroplasty using abductor pollicis longus tendon interposition (Ceruso procedure) and 26 patients underwent arthroplasty using suspension tenoplasty of the flexor radialis carpi (Altissimi procedure). Both techniques were performed by a single surgeon and showed good and satisfactory results, with best outcome reported in Altissimi procedure regarding DASH and ROM (p = 0.011 and p = 0.012, respectively), with reduced surgical time (about 6 min less, p = 0.03). The proximal shift between scaphoid and the base of first metacarpal did not influence the final results of the cases treated. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that trapeziectomy in combination with both tendon suspension arthroplasty and tendon interposition are two surgical procedures useful to solve advanced basal joint arthritis. Patients who underwent suspension tenoplasty without tendon interposition seemed to be generally more satisfied with significantly better symptomatic and functional outcomes.

Hand Trauma in Emergency Department Management in Older Adults ≥ 80 Years Old: A Twenty-Year Retrospective Analysis.

The prevalence of hand injuries increases with age, with elderly patients being more prone to hand lesions due to a combination of factors, such as reduced bone density and muscle strength, impaired sensation, and cognitive impairment. Despite the high incidence of hand injuries in the elderly population, few studies have addressed the management and outcomes of hand lesions in this age group. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and management of hand lesions in patients over 80 years old. The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients over 80 years old who reached their Emergency Department with hand lesions between 2001 and 2020. Data on demographics, injury characteristics, and management were collected and analyzed. A total of 991 patients with hand lesions were included in the study, with a mean age of 84.9 years. The most common causes of injuries were domestic accidents (32.6%) and traffic accidents (12.8%). The most frequent types of hand lesions were fractures (23.5%) and superficial wounds (20.5%). Overall, 23.4% underwent surgical treatment for their hand issue, and 22.1% had associated injuries, among which, the most common were head trauma and other bone fractures. In conclusion, hand lesions in patients over 80 years old are frequent and pose significant challenges in diagnosis and management. Particular attention should be paid to associated injuries and limit indications to surgery when strictly necessary.

Spindle-cell myoepithelioma: A rare case in a finger of a 15-year-old boy.

Cutaneous myoepithelioma is a rare neoplasm of the skin that has become more widely recognized in recent years despite significant diagnostic pitfalls. It is a benign neoplasm with a high recurrence rate if not excised radically, and must be distinguished from its malignant counterpart. Few cases have been described so far and, to our knowledge, no cases in the finger of a child exist in the literature. We report the case of a 15 year-old boy affected by a rare form of locally aggressive spindle-cell myoepithelioma, and suggest a new multidisciplinary approach combining surgical excision and custom brachytherapy.

Overview of Ankle Arthropathy in Hereditary Hemochromatosis.

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive bleeding disorder characterized by tissue overload of iron. Clinical systemic manifestations in HH include liver disease, cardiomyopathy, skin pigmentation, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, hypothyroidism, and arthropathy. Arthropathy with joint pain is frequently reported at diagnosis and mainly involves the metacarpophalangeal and ankle joints, and more rarely, the hip and knee. Symptoms in ankle joints are in most cases non-specific, and they can range from pain and swelling of the ankle to deformities and joint destruction. Furthermore, the main radiological signs do not differ from those of primary osteoarthritis (OA). Limited data are available in the literature regarding treatment; surgery seems to be the gold standard for ankle arthropathy in HH. Pharmacological treatments used to maintain iron homeostasis can also be undertaken to prevent the arthropathy, but conclusive data are not yet available. This review aimed to assess the ankle arthropathy in the context of HH, including all its aspects: epidemiology, physiopathology, clinical and imaging presentation, and all the treatments available to the current state of knowledge.

Versatility of the perforator radial artery flap in the reconstruction of the upper limbs and comparison of the outcomes with the "classic" radial flap, a retrospective study.

Introduction: Radial forearm flap, first described in the early eighties in China, is a well-known and handy flap to cover soft tissue defects of the distal upper limb. It has, though, some inconveniences, such as the sacrifice of the radial artery and non-neglectable esthetic sequelae in the donor site. In the following years, a similar flap based on the perforators of the radial artery has been described as achieving similar results, allowing to spare a main vessel. The authors reviewed retrospectively the patients that underwent surgery with one of those two flaps in their center to compare outcomes. Materials and methods: Patients operated between January 2016 and January 2022 have been reviewed. Ten had a classic radial artery flap, and ten had a radial artery perforator flap. Twelve weeks after surgery, Vancouver Scar Scale was used to assess the results at the donor site and over the flap. Reintervention and failure rate within one year and patient satisfaction -using a visual analog scale ranging from 0 to ten-at 12 months were also assessed. Results: All classic radial artery flap group patients had "successful" surgery, and none needed secondary surgery. On the other side, three patients required a second surgery in the perforator flap group, and nine out of ten ended up with "successful" flaps. Mean Vancouver Scar Scale results regarding the flap are comparable, whereas those at the donor site are significantly better in the patients with the perforator flap. Patients' satisfaction results are similar in both groups. Conclusion: The radial artery perforator flap is an important flap to be held in mind by all surgeons approaching reconstruction of the elbow, the forearm, and the hand, and should be preferred, when possible, to the classic radial forearm flap.

Feasibility of a fascial flap to avoid anterior transposition of unstable Ulnar nerve: A cadaver study.

Background: Compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow is the second most frequent site of nerve compression in the upper limb. Upon release, anteposition of the nerve may be necessary to avoid dislocation of the latter when unstable. Numerous techniques are described in the literature (subcutaneous transposition, intramuscular transposition, subfascial transposition, medial epicondylectomy …), none of which is without complications. Based on Han's work, the authors propose a technique of covering the ulnar nerve with epicondylar fascial flap, avoiding transposition, but ensuring good stability of the ulnar nerve. Methods: As part of the SICM (Italian Society of Hand Surgery) cadaver dissection course (ICLO, Verona, Italy) the authors dissected 36 elbows, of which 20 presented subluxation of the ulnar nerve after its decompression. The fascial flap was therefore made on these 20 elbows, coming from 14 different donors (9 men, 5 women) with an average age of 78 years. The diameter of the ulnar nerve was then measured (at the level of the passage in the cubital canal), the diameter of the newly formed canal, the difference between the two previous measurements (residual space in the flexed elbow canal), and it was verified whether the ulnar nerve was unstable once covered by the flap. Results: The mean diameter of the ulnar nerve was 5.1 mm (range 4-6), while the mean diameter of the neo-canal was 10.1 mm (range 8-11) in elbow extension and 8.9 mm (range 7-10) in elbow flexion. The remaining space in the flexed elbow canal was 3.8 mm (range 3-5).In none of the 20 cases the ulnar nerve was dislocated after having made the fascial flap. Conlusions: In light of the results obtained, the authors think that the use of the epicondylar fascial flap may be a solution to keep in mind to avoid dislocation of the ulnar nerve when it becomes unstable following its decompression. This work obviously needs clinical confirmation on living patients. Level of evidence: V.

WHICH SURGICAL TREATMENT IS PREFERABLE IN HUMERAL DIAPHYSEAL FRACTURES? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

Introduction: Humeral diaphyseal fractures are very common. Many treatments have been proposed but the choice of the best one is often complex. Objective: The aim of the proposed study is to analyze the data in the literature in order to define the risks, advantages and disadvantages of the alternative surgical treatments (anterograde/retrograde intramedullary nailing, ORIF, MIPO). Methods: PubMed / Medline and Google Scholar were searched for prospective randomized or case-control retrospective studies about surgical treatment of humeral diaphyseal fractures with nailing, ORIF and MIPO, according to PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcome considered was the fracture healing time by comparing nailing-ORIF, nailing-MIPO and ORIF-MIPO. Differences in the rate of post-operative complications, patient satisfaction, intra-operative blood loss and surgical time were considered secondary outcomes. Results: 506 studies were identified, but only 10 studies were valid for the systematic review. No differences between nailing, ORIF and MIPO were recorded in terms of healing and surgical times. Intra-operative blood loss was significantly higher during ORIF (p 0.024). No differences were found in the restoration of function evaluated using clinical scales. The rate of complications was 27.4% for nailing, 21.2% for ORIF and 13.8% for MIPO. The difference was statistically significant only by comparing nailing with MIPO (p 0.012), probably because anterograde nailing is more often correlated to shoulder impairment. ORIF was at higher risk of infection compared to nailing (p 0.007). Conclusion: Humeral diaphyseal fractures require careful pre-operative planning, ensuring reduced healing time, less soft tissue damage and low rate of complications. The lower exposure of the fracture allows for excellent results with reduced bleeding and lower risk of complications.

Surgical management of tibial metastases: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Tibia is a rare location among all skeletal metastases. Those lesions are often discovered in an advanced stage of disease and are mainly reported to the orthopedic surgeon to reduce pain, to improve the patient quality of life and his functional status. Current literature on the surgical management of metastases and/or pathological tibial fractures shows mostly few case reports, case series or at most retrospective studies on very small and heterogeneous groups of patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze those articles highlighting epidemiology and discussing surgical options and relative outcomes. METHODS: Studies were searched on PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Knowledge from inception to September 2020 and 30 articles discussing tibial metastasis surgical treatment were included. RESULTS: Results discuss age and sex of patients, location of tibial metastases, origin of metastases, type of lesion and spread of disease, surgical treatment, outcomes in terms of pain evolution, gain of function and general status, complication and relapse, and survival of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of randomized trials and the absence of high-level studies, guidelines suggest different types of treatments depending on location and stage of disease. The analysis of the articles included in this review confirms the heterogeneity of possible treatments, assuring, independently of the chosen techniques, good and similar results, leading to the conclusion that the choice of the surgical technique must take in consideration each patient's characteristics and the surgeon's experience.

Resurfacing capitate pyrocarbon implant as salvage procedure in several serious outcomes of carpal injuries. Clinical experience and follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Resurfacing Capitate Pyrocarbon Implant has been introduced in the surgical practice as an alternative method to restore wrist motion, strength and functions in patients suffering from wrist osteoarthritis. It has already been well described in the literature as a treatment for advanced stages of degenerative wrist diseases which follow scaphoid's and lunate's injuries such as scapho-lunate advanced collapse, scaphoid non-union advanced collapse, and advanced stages of Kienböck disease. Authors extended the use of RCPI to other selected cases of complicated wrist injuries, spreading out from the classic indications for which this device was designed. METHODS: We discuss 8 cases with serious outcomes of carpal injuries treated with Resurfacing Capitate Pyrocarbon Implant as salvage procedure between 2005 and 2013 by the first author of this paper Results: Among the eight particular selected cases, at a mean 4.3 years follow-up (range 2-11) only one was considered a failure and underwent a total wrist arthrodesis, resolving pain after all. The seven other cases reported good results. Range of Motion, Visual Analogue Scale for pain, subjective satisfaction and radiographical outcomes are reported. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this heterogeneous clinical experience, validated by long-term follow-ups in most cases, we think that the use of a Resurfacing Capitate Pyrocarbon Implant can be suggested as an option in the outcomes of various carpal injuries.

Extension Block Pinning Vs Single Kirshner Wiring To Treat Bony Mallet Finger. A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Bony Mallet Finger or Mallet Fracture is a common injury of the hand, which follows a forced flexion of the extended distal interphalangeal joint, that leads to a bony avulsion of the distal phalanx. Depending on fracture extension and dislocation, those lesions can either be treated conservatively or surgically. Several surgical options have been described in the literature. The aim of this study is to compare retrospectively two percutaneous pinning techniques: the extension block technique according to Ishiguro vs an original single Kirshner wiring (Umbrella technique). METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 2019, among all patients treated surgically for a Mallet Fracture with either the Ishiguro' and the Umbrella technique, 98 have been included in this study. All patients have been assessed one year after surgery using the Crawford method. RESULTS: With both techniques better results have been achieved in younger patients and for those treated early. The umbrella technique seems to have better results in patients with fracture classified as 2b or 2c (Wehbe and Schneider classification), whereas the Ishiguro technique seems more appropriate for patients with a 1b fracture. Complication rate and typology vary depending on the used technique. CONCLUSIONS: The Ishiguro' and the Umbrella technique both lead to good results for the treatment of surgical Mallet Fractures. The choice of the best type of pinning should mainly depend on fracture extension and time elapsed from trauma.

One Year of COVID-19: Lessons Learned in a Hand Trauma Center.

2020 will be remembered worldwide as the year of COVID-19 outbreak. The onset of this pandemic abruptly changed everybody's life and, in a particular manner, doctors' lives. Our hand surgery department became rapidly one of the first COVID-19-specialized wards in Italy, impacting considerably the authors' routines and activities. In this paper, the authors focus on how the demographics of patients with hand trauma changed and how they had to modify their activity. The authors retrospectively took into consideration all patients reaching their emergency department (ED) with hand trauma between 9 March 2020 (the day of the beginning of the first lockdown in Italy) and 8 March 2021 and compared them to those who reached the ED in the three previous years. Authors have analyzed the number of patients, their gender and age, the severity of their trauma, where the trauma occurred, the type of lesion, the percentage of patients who underwent surgery, and the percentage of patients who had an emergency admission. In the last year, the number of patients reaching the ED for a hand trauma has been reduced by two thirds (975 patients during the past year), the mean age of those patients has slightly increased, the severity of cases has increased, places of trauma and type of lesions have changed, and, lastly, the percentage of patients needing surgery who were admitted immediately has increased. This paper shows how the type of patients reaching the ED changed and discusses how surgeons evolved and modified their habits in treating those patients during the first lockdown and the year that followed.

Matriderm dermal substitute in the treatment of post traumatic hand's fingertip tissue loss.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of fingers tissue loss is particularly challenging as it often necessitates advanced reconstructive techniques such as flaps or grafts, with esthetic and functional results that are not always as good as hoped for, with long healing times. Recently, along with tissue engineering development, numerous types of dermal substitute have been commercialized, with promising possibilities of treatment in finger tissue loss. In the author's unit, Matriderm® is the most commonly used dermal substitute. As described by the manufacturer, this scaffold is designed to be covered with a split-thickness skin graft. In using a two-step procedure, the authors realized that in most cases of fingertips injuries, at three weeks follow-up, the wound appeared in an advanced state of healing, which permitted to avoid grafting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between October 2017 and October 2018, 27 fingers have been included in this study. Patients have been divided in two groups: those treated with Matriderm® alone (15 fingers) and those who had a skin graft three weeks after the first surgery (12 fingers). At the 6-month follow-up, authors evaluated the esthetic results with the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), the functional results with Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (qDASH) score, and sensibility by the mean of two-point discrimination test (2-PD). RESULTS: All outcomes were overlapping in patients treated with or without skin graft: mean VSS was 2.3, mean qDASH was 13.3, and mean 2-PD was 7.7 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained allow to consider Matriderm® , used also without skin graft coverage, as a valid solution for treatment of fingertip tissue loss.

Use of muscular flaps for the treatment of hip prosthetic joint infection: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Deep periprosthetic infection after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a serious and challenging complication for the orthopedic surgeon. Muscular flaps may represent a valid management option for the treatment of this condition. We present a systematic literature review about the use of muscular flaps for the treatment of hip prosthetic joint infection. METHODS: The review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Seventy-seven articles, out of 279 titles, were considered eligible for the full-text analysis. Finally 15 studies that met inclusion criteria were included in this review. RESULTS: Overall, 210 patients (49% males, 48.6% females and 2.4% not reported) suffering from THA infection treated with muscular flaps were collected. The mean age was 69.6 years. Mean follow-up, reported in all studies, was 3.3 years. The results presented by the different authors, highlight the effectiveness of muscular flaps for the treatment of periprosthetic infection, in terms of function, limb salvage, prevention of the recurrences, cost-effectiveness, and quality of life postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle flaps provide an excellent management option for patients with persistent infection after total hip arthroplasty.

Hyperselective neurectomy for the treatment of upper limb spasticity in adults and children: a prospective study.

Hyperselective neurectomy (HSN) procedures in the spastic upper limb aim to reduce tone by excising some branches of the involved peripheral motor nerves, at the point of entry of each motor ramus into the target muscle. In this prospective study, 42 patients with upper limb spasticity were treated by HSN for the muscles of elbow flexion, forearm pronation and wrist flexion and evaluated for their short-term results (average 6 months) and long-term outcomes (average 31 months). Results at both time points showed an effective reduction of the spastic tone, with no decrease of muscle strength in the operated spastic muscles. Comparison of results between the two time points showed durability of the improvement, which remained statistically significant despite a slight relapse in spasticity. The results of HSN compare favourably with the other techniques of partial neurectomy; however, the technique requires a detailed knowledge of upper limb motor anatomy.Level of evidence: II.

Chronic post-traumatic volar plate avulsions of the finger proximal interphalangeal joint: A literature review of different surgical techniques.

Avulsions of the volar plate of the finger proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) following sprains are often undiagnosed in the acute setting. Therefore, the chronic outcomes of this injury are most frequently the object of study and treatment. Different techniques for volar plate chronic avulsion repair are described in the literature. The most used among these are mainly two: the direct suturing with or without the use of bone anchors and the tenodesis techniques with flexor digitalis superficialis (FDS). The aim of this systematic review is to determine outcomes and complications associated with these surgical treatments of post-traumatic volar plate avulsions without phalangeal fractures. An electronic literature research was carried out and pertinent articles were selected. Surgical techniques details, outcomes and complications for direct sutures and tenodesis technique are discussed. Outcomes (Range of motion and pain) seem to be comparable, whereas authors that use the direct suture technique describe more frequently PIPJ flexion contracture complication. From this review of the literature, authors believe that both techniques are available for the repair of chronic injuries of the volar plate of the PIPJ, although direct suturing can be considered as less reproducible.

Resurfacing Capitate Pyrocarbon Implant Without Capitate Pole Resection to Improve Clinical Results in the Treatment of Chronic Wrist Arthritis.

Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) is a long-time, well-accepted, easy-to-reproduce procedure for the treatment of several painful degenerative conditions of the wrist, when capitate pole and radius lunate fossa are preserved. It has been reported to relieve pain and preserve a substantial wrist range of motion, although a partial loss of strength has to be expected because of the decreased length of the carpus. Since 2010, a new technique has been described in the literature using the resurfacing capitate pyrocarbon implant, combined with PRC. This implant has been designed to perform PRC even in the presence of degenerate joint surfaces, and thus resolves the limited indications of this procedure; however, if a resection of the capitate pole is performed to set up the implant, similar to PRC it may not positively influence the recovery of strength. The authors propose an resurfacing capitate pyrocarbon implant technique without any capitate bone resection, to preserve as much as possible the carpus length and so to improve the functional recovery. The surgical technique, is described in detail and preliminary results are discussed.

SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF CARBON-PEEK PLATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURES: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Introduction: Distal radius fractures are one of the most common injuries. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) are the most diffused between surgical treatments. Carbon-fiber reinforced (CFR) polyetheretherketone (PEEK) plates have been proposed to prevent effects linked to stainless steel or titanium alloy traditional plates, such as radio-opacity, mismatch of bone-plate elasticity modulus, corrosion, limited fatigue life, osseointegration. Objective: This review aims to evaluate the actual safety and reliability of CFR- PEEK plates to treat distal radius fractures. Methods: Electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholars, and Cochrane Library were searched in December 2020. Eligible studies were published in peer-reviewed journals. Three authors independently selected relevant articles and discussed those. Searching identified 13 titles and abstracts, 11 manuscripts were considered eligible for the full-text analysis. Of these 11 papers, 7 studies were included in our review. Results: 215 patients were analyzed in this systematic review. The mean age of enrolled patients was 52,8 years. 34% were males and 66% were females. Fractures were classified according to AO/ASIF classification system. We reported 12 cases of complications specific to this device, such as intraoperative plate and screws rupture, erosive flexor tendons synovitis, and loosening. Conclusion: CFR-PEEK distal radius plates are potentially an alternative to traditional ones. But we believe that the use of this device does not entail a significant advantage in the treatment of distal radius fractures, as safe and low-cost traditional devices are available. Further comparative studies are needed to demonstrate the superiority of carbon devices.