Surgical procedures to improve hand function in tetraplegic patients: patient satisfaction and outcomes over a 20-year period.

The aim of the present study was to report our experience in the evolution in surgical strategy and patient satisfaction after upper limb reconstruction in tetraplegic patients. A total of 72 patients (114 upper limbs) underwent surgery between 1997 and 2017. Since April 2003, tenodesis of the extensor digitorum communis tendons was no longer performed because it limited wrist flexion, and two-stage operations to restore active grasp were replaced by one-stage procedures. In total, 34 patients (58 upper limbs) completed questionnaires about function and satisfaction at a mean follow-up of 14 years (range 4-24) since their first operation; 26 were satisfied, 30 would have the operation again and 31 benefitted from the surgery. Surgical procedures, such as tendon transfers, arthrodesis and tenodesis, can have a positive effect on patient-perceived function and satisfaction in the long term in most of these patients.Level of evidence: IV.

Validation of radiographic assessment of radiocarpal (mal)alignment in a normal population.

We measured radiocarpal alignment in 150 standard lateral radiographs of normal wrists. In 84% of the cases, the lines of the long axis of the capitate and radius did not cross within the carpus.

Metacarpophalangeal joint angle of the thumb during maximal pinch strength: a study of healthy volunteers.

Mean metacarpophalangeal joint angles of the thumb during maximal pinch were 9° greater in men than in women. More flexion was not associated with more force during key pinch, but a moderate association was found for palmar pinch, especially in men.

Clinical and radiological results of distal radioulnar joint arthroplasty with the Aptis prosthesis.

We report the results of the treatment of disorders of the distal radioulnar joint with the semi-constrained Aptis prosthesis. Nineteen patients were assessed at a mean follow-up of 7 years. All patients had been operated on previously at the wrist, forearm or elbow. The Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score had a mean value of 40, the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation score had a mean of 49 and the visual analogue scale for pain had a mean of 3.9. The mean ranges of pronation, supination, wrist flexion and wrist extension were 78°, 76°, 60° and 51°, respectively. The mean grip strength was 23 kg. Complications were noted in ten patients. Eighteen patients would undergo the operation again. The 10-year cumulative survival rate was 84%. The Aptis prosthesis may be a solution to treat patients in whom previous surgery at the distal radioulnar joint has failed.Level of evidence: IV.

Results of treatment of osteoarthritis of the scaphotrapeziotrapezoidal joint with tendon allograft interposition.

The aim of the study was to determine if the use of tendon allografts in combination with distal scaphoid resection for the treatment of isolated STT arthrosis is a save procedure. We reviewed the postoperative complications, re-operations, clinical and radiological results of this treatment modality. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Investigated parameters include wrist mobility (wrist extension and -flexion), strength (grip- and pinch strength), patient-reported outcome scores : Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (Q-DASH) and Patient Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation score (PRWHE) and radiographic measurements : scapholunate (SL) angle, radiolunate (RL) angle and capitolunate (CL) angle. Ten wrists were included in nine patients. No revision surgery was performed. Two patients had transient neuropraxia of the radial nerve. Postoperative flexion-extension arc was 112°. Grip-strength was significantly increased after surgery (20 to 28kg). The average VAS score the past week was 1.75 (range 0-6.7), the average maximum VAS score was 3.0 (range 0-10). The mean PRWHE score was 16.6 (range 0- 69). The mean Q-DASH score was 17.95 (range 0-51). The current study indicates that distal scaphoid resection for isolated STT arthritis is a save procedure with minimal complications. It significantly improves grip strength. Mobility of the wrist was similar to contralateral wrist after surgery. Pain postoperatively was very limited (low VAS scores) and good functional scores (Q-DASH and PRWHE) were noted. Our findings support the prior findings that excisional arthroplasty might worsen carpal instability.

Which Fracture Types Are Associated with Widening of the Scapholunate Distance? A CT-Scan Study of Acute Intraarticular Distal Radius Fractures.

Background: Scapholunate injuries in distal radius fractures may frequently be overlooked. The aims of this study were to measure the scapholunate distance in intraarticular distal radius fractures and to find out which fracture types were associated with an increased scapholunate width. Methods: Measurements of the scapholunate distance were performed on computed tomography scans of 143 intraarticular distal radius fractures in 140 patients. The fractures were classified according to the AO classification. The morphology of AO type B fractures was further analysed according to the Bain classification. Results: In 43 AO type B fractures mean scapholunate distance measured 2.1 mm and in 100 type C fractures 1.6 mm. The difference between partial and complete intraarticular fractures was significant. A trend towards a greater scapholunate distance was found in AO type B1 and radial styloid oblique fractures. Conclusions: In this study, partial intraarticular distal radius fractures, especially with a sagittal split, had a greater scapholunate distance and may be at risk for ligamentous injury.

Results of treatment of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis with trapeziectomy and tendon allograft interposition.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of treatment of osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb with tendon allograft interposition. Fifty-three patients (61 hands), 13 men and 40 women, were operated on at a mean age of 61 years. A partial trapeziectomy with tendon interposition was performed in 19 hands and with suspension arthroplasty in 24. Seventeen thumbs underwent a total trapeziectomy with suspension arthroplasty. Patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 4 years. In 34 patients (41 hands), a mean disability of arm, shoulder and hand score of 19 was found and a mean visual analogue scale for pain of 1.3. The satisfaction rate was 83 %. Revision operations were performed in 8 out of 61 hands. Four of those thumbs had been operated on previously or did not have primary osteoarthritis. No revisions were needed after partial trapeziectomy and tendon allograft interposition with suspension arthroplasty. In conclusion, tendon allograft interposition can be considered as one of the treatment options for osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb.

Dynamic Wrist Radiographs in Patients with and without a Ganglion Cyst.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to find out if carpal instability played a role in the etiology of ganglion cysts. Materials and Methods Dynamic wrist radiographs of 33 patients with and without a ganglion cyst of the wrist were compared. The control group consisted of patients who had dynamic radiographs of both wrists after a traumatic event in one wrist. Measurements were performed on the contralateral uninjured side. Radiological parameters that may indicate carpal instability included: width of the scapholunate gap, scapholunate, radiolunate, and lunocapitate angles, and ulnar translocation. Results No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups except for lunocapitate angle which was higher in wrists with ganglion cysts. However, mean lunocapitate angle was still within the normal range. Conclusions It could be concluded that in this study we did not see a difference between scapholunate gap and radiocarpal angles with the presence or absence of a ganglion cyst.

Ten-year outcomes of the Arpe prosthesis for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint.

Outcomes of 66 Arpe prostheses in 50 patients treated for osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint were investigated with a mean follow-up of ten years. Ten-year survival was 87% when failure was defined as implant removal followed by trapeziectomy and tendon interposition. Ten-year survival was 82% when revision of the cup was also considered as failure and it was 80% when replacement of the neck alone was also chosen as an endpoint. Of the 52 prostheses that were not revised mean DASH score was 11, mean pain score 1.2 and mean score for satisfaction 9.5. It can be concluded that the majority of patients who did not underwent revision surgery were satisfied and had little or no pain. However, long-term survival of the Arpe prosthesis was moderate and patients should be warned that after ten years the risk for reoperation might be up to 20%.

Clinical and radiological characteristics of 82 solitary benign peripheral nerve tumours.

Benign peripheral nerve tumours are rare lesions. The surgical treatment and clinical outcomes depend on the resectability. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify clinical or radiological features that may predict the surgical technique that should be used to improve clinical outcome. Eighty-two patients were diagnosed with solitary benign peripheral nerve tumours. Fifty-five tumours were surgically resectable, and 27 were nonresectable. Pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound were used, which were predictive of the neural origin of the tumours in 87% (39/45) of cases imaged. In 78% (50/64) of cases imaged, an origin from the nerve sheath (peripheral nerve sheath tumour), or from non-neural elements was possible. However, no imaging or clinical criteria were identified that could determine tumour resectability preoperatively. The diagnosis of solitary peripheral nerve tumour still relies on the macroscopic appearance and definitive histology after epineurotomy.

An investigation of perceptual biases in complex regional pain syndrome.

Patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) report cognitive difficulties, affecting the ability to represent, perceive and use their affected limb. Moseley, Gallace & Spence (2009) observed that CRPS patients tend to bias the perception of tactile stimulation away from the pathological limb. Interestingly, this bias was reversed when CRPS patients were asked to cross their arms, implying that this bias is embedded in a complex representation of the body that takes into account the position of body-parts. Other studies have failed to replicate this finding (Filbrich et al., 2017) or have even found a bias in the opposite direction (Sumitani et al., 2007). Moreover, perceptual biases in CRPS patients have not often been compared to these of other chronic pain patients. Chronic pain patients are often characterized by an excessive focus of attention for bodily sensations. We might therefore expect that non-CRPS pain patients would show a bias towards instead of away from their affected limb. The aim of this study was to replicate the study of Moseley, Gallace & Spence (2009) and to extend it by comparing perceptual biases in a CRPS group with two non-CRPS pain control groups (i.e., chronic unilateral wrist and shoulder pain patients). In a temporal order judgment (TOJ) task, participants reported which of two tactile stimuli, one applied to either hand at various intervals, was perceived as occurring first. TOJs were made, either with the arms in a normal (uncrossed) position, or with the arms crossed over the body midline. We found no consistent perceptual biases in either of the patient groups and in either of the conditions (crossed/uncrossed). Individual differences were large and might, at least partly, be explained by other variables, such as pain duration and temperature differences between the pathological and non-pathological hand. Additional studies need to take these variables into account by, for example, comparing biases in CRPS (and non-CRPS) patients in an acute versus a chronic pain state.

Involvement of the palmar lunate facet in intra-articular distal radius fractures.

BACKGROUND: Small fracture fragments of the palmar lunate facet of the distal radius can be difficult to stabilize and may cause loss of reduction and even subluxation of the radiocarpal joint. MATERIAL & METHODS: The aims of the study were to investigate fracture patterns of the intermediate column in 101 intra-articular distal radius fractures with three-dimensional computed tomography, and to determine the prevalence of palmar lunate facet fracture fragments. The size of the fragments was measured to find out how many fragments were small. RESULTS: The palmar lunate facet fragment was present in 61 fractures. Mean length of the palmar cortex measured 13.5mm (range: 3 to 26.9) and mean area of the lunate facet 115 mm2 (range: 31 to 267). Seventeen percent of intra-articular distal radius fractures had a palmar lunate facet fragment with a short palmar cortex. CONCLUSION: With accurate analysis of the preoperative computed tomography scans the typical fracture patterns of the palmar lunate facet are recognisable and adequate fixation technique can be chosen to avoid loss of reduction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Treatment of distal radius fractures with palmar plates and locking screws. Comparisson of two different types of plate.

Various plating systems are available to fix distal radius fractures, each with a specific design. The purpose of this study was to compare radiological outcome and complications of the Variable Angle LCP Plate 2.4-mm (DePuy Synthes) with the VariAx volar locking plate (Stryker). One hundred patients (103 wrists) operated on for a distal radius fracture were retrospectively reviewed with a mean follow-up of 3.5 years. Seventy-three wrists were treated with a DePuy Synthes plate and 30 with a VariAx plate. The overall complication rate was 32%. Nineteen cases underwent revision surgery, 18 had malunion and 3 complex regional pain syndrome. Complicaton rate was 43% with DePuy Synthes plates and 27% with Variax plates, but the difference was not significant.

Non-traumatic primary and secondary osteoarthritis of the distal radioulnar joint.

A retrospective radiographic study was conducted to determine the prevalence and severity of non-traumatic primary and secondary osteoarthritis of the distal radioulnar joint in a group of 718 patients. Non-traumatic primary and secondary osteoarthritis was found in 77 patients (11%) with a mean age of 63 years. In 34 cases it was bilateral. Mild signs of osteoarthritis were present in 53, moderate in 17 and severe in seven patients. The prevalence of primary osteoarthritis was 8.2% and 2.5% had secondary non-traumatic osteoarthritis. The prevalence and severity of the osteoarthritis were similar in women and men. Ulnar wrist pain was associated with osteoarthritis of the distal radioulnar joint in 13% of patients with mild, 35% with moderate and 43% with severe radiological degeneration. Level of evidence: IV.

Bilateral scapholunate widening may have a nontraumatic aetiology and progress to carpal instability and osteoarthritis with advancing age.

It was hypothesized that bilateral widening of the scapholunate gap is relatively common in the absence of trauma and that it progresses to radiological carpal instability and scapholunate advanced collapse. Electronic files of 1000 patients with bilateral X-rays were studied in retrospect. Wide scapholunate gaps were bilaterally present in 67 and unilaterally in 51 patients. Scapholunate advanced collapse was observed in 26 patients; in nine it was in both wrists. A trauma was recorded in less than half of the patients with a bilateral wide scapholunate gap. Patients with bilateral wide gaps were younger if signs of carpal instability or osteoarthritis were absent. Bilateral scapholunate widening may not be caused by an acute trauma, but may lead to carpal instability and degenerative changes with advancing age.

Results of ulnar shortening osteotomy in patients with ulnar wrist pain. A retrospective study.

The aim of the study was to find out if ulnar shortening is effective to treat ulnar wrist pain and which factors influence outcome. Thirty-seven patients were evalua- ted with a mean follow-up of 4.5 years. Thirty patients (81%) would undergo the same operation again although 21 (57%) had residual ulnar wrist pain. Mean disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score was 22 and mean patient rated wrist evaluation score (PRWE) was 33. DASH and PRWE scores were better in smokers, in patients operated on the non- dominant side and when follow-up was longer. PRWE score was worse in posttraumatic cases. Age, gender and type of osteotomy did not influence outcome. Three patients (8%) needed an additional operation for nonunion and in 17 (46%) plate and screws had to be removed. It can be concluded that ulnar shortening can be proposed to treat ulnocarpal wrist pain, but complete pain relief cannot be guaranteed and additional surgery may be required.

Sporadic Schwannomatosis: A Systematic Review Following the 2005 Consensus Statement.

AIMS: To identify the frequency of reports of sporadic schwannomatosis, the types of patients affected, and the nerves affected. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified all case reports and case series that reported on patients with sporadic schwannomatosis according to established criteria. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 1,597 studies, of which 15 were included. A total of 38 of 55 individuals met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 48 years; 41% were male. Thirty-three patients had peripheral nerve tumors, and 17 had spinal tumors. Twelve had tumors in both locations. Tumor distribution was unilateral in 25 of 30 cases (83.3%) and segmental (limited to one limb or five or fewer contiguous segments of the spine) in 28 of 38 cases (73.7%). CONCLUSION: This systematic review quantified the number of individuals who meet the criteria for sporadic schwannomatosis and better described this population to facilitate the classification of neurofibromatosis in regard to the 2005 consensus statement. Unilateral or segmental distribution of nerve tumors are key aspects when dealing with multiple noncutaneous schwannomas without involvement of the vestibular nerve.

Tennis elbow: associated psychological factors.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of tennis elbow is multifactorial. Overuse of the wrist extensors along with anatomic factors, such as flexibility problems, aging, and poor blood circulation, may play a role. This study investigated whether patients with tennis elbow have a different psychological profile compared with healthy controls. METHODS: Patients with clinical signs of tennis elbow, consulting at the Ghent University Hospital between September 2015 and January 2017, were offered a paper-and-pencil questionnaire about Big Five personality traits, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, work satisfaction, and working conditions. Healthy controls in the same risk group were offered the same questionnaires. RESULTS: We recruited 69 patients (35 men, 34 women) and 100 controls (44 men, 56 women). Tennis elbow patients scored significantly lower on the personality traits extraversion and agreeableness. Men, in particular, scored significantly higher on perfectionism and were more likely to develop an anxiety disorder or a depression. Concerning work, patients indicated a significantly higher workload (especially men) and a significantly lower autonomy (especially women). Female patients also indicated less contact with colleagues. However, work satisfaction was relatively high in both groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that there is a relationship between complaints related to tennis elbow and psychological characteristics.

Limits Of Indications Of The Morrison Wrap-Around Procedure In Thumb Reconstruction.

The thumb contributes approximately 40 percent of hand function. In the case of an amputation, where replantation/revascularisation is impossible, a reconstruction should be planned as the second best treatment. Morrison described in 1980 the technique of a wrap-around partial great toe transfer. According to Morrison, the technique is best suited for reconstruction of the thumb distal to the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ). In this study, we retrospectively report on 10 thumb reconstructions using the wraparound flap from the great toe. Functional results according to the level of amputation are compared. We found in our limited series, that although better results are achieved when the amputation was distal to the MCPJ, the 'wraparound' reconstruction technique still yielded acceptable functional results and outcome in amputation levels through or proximal to the MCPJ.

Foreign body reaction after trapeziectomy and Dacron interposition.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients who were treated with trapeziectomy and Dacron interposition in our hospital and to describe the incidence of foreign body reactions. Between 2004 and 2010, 10 women with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis underwent Dacron interpositional arthroplasty. One patient had surgery in both hands. Implants were removed in two patients, 5 and 8 years postoperatively. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of a foreign body reaction with giant cells in both cases. At a mean follow-up of 9 years, seven patients with the implant still in place were available for review and clinical examination. Mean DASH score was 32 and mean VAS for pain and satisfaction was 1.6 and 8.8, respectively. Mean grip strength was 11.4kg and mean key pinch strength was 1.5kg. Recent radiographs were available in nine hands. Seven out of nine hands had radiological signs of a foreign body reaction with bone erosion. A severe reaction occurred in three patients. We no longer use the Dacron implant and recommend careful monitoring of all patients in whom this implant has been used.