Comparison of transposition techniques to reduce gap associated with high ulnar nerve lesions.

PURPOSE: To determine in a cadaveric model which of 3 anterior transposition techniques allows for maximum gap reduction for high ulnar nerve lesions. METHODS: Six fresh-frozen human adult upper extremity cadaveric transhumeral specimens were used. We anchored the ulnar nerve to bone 10 cm proximal and distal to the medial epicondyle along its exact course while keeping the elbow in 30° flexion as the baseline measurement. We then used a thick suture to mimic and measure the exact course of the nerve between the pins in varying elbow positions. The nerve was then transposed first subcutaneously, then intramuscularly, and then submuscularly while taking exact measurements of the distance the nerve had to travel in varying degrees of elbow flexion for each transposition method. We performed comparative analysis to analyze gap reduction with respect to transposition method and elbow position. RESULTS: Transposing the ulnar nerve reduced the repair gap required to cross the elbow regardless of transposition technique. When comparing individual techniques, however, the greatest gap reduction was achieved by intramuscular, followed by submuscular and finally subcutaneous transposition. A maximum gap reduction of 25 mm (average, 23 mm) was achieved using intramuscular transposition with the elbow in 90° flexion. Subcutaneous transposition actually increased the repair gap when the elbow was in an extended position. CONCLUSIONS: An intramuscular transposition with the elbow in 90° flexion provided the best gap reduction. However, post-neurorrhaphy mobilization may compromise repair site integrity and vascularity if elbow flexion is required to achieve a primary repair, and these factors should be considered carefully when planning treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study provides guidance on techniques to reduce nerve gap for primary repair of the ulnar nerve at the elbow using transposition and elbow flexion.

Functional outcome analysis of triplane and tillaux fractures after closed reduction and percutaneous fixation.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data regarding the outcomes of triplane and tillaux fractures. The purpose of our study was to provide a long-term follow-up analysis of the functional outcomes as they relate to articular displacement using validated outcome tools. METHODS: A retrospective chart and radiographic review was performed to identify the age, the sex, the treatment method, complications, the fracture type, and articular displacement. Most patients underwent closed reduction with percutaneous fixation. We used 2 validated outcome measures, namely the Foot and Ankle Outcomes Score and the Marx Activity Scale, to assess functional results at a minimum of 2 years from the time of injury. RESULTS: We identified 78 patients between 2000 and 2009 who underwent computed tomographic scan evaluation of either a triplane (n=58) or a tillaux fracture (n=20). Triplane fractures occurred at a significantly younger age than tillaux fractures for both men and women (P=0.01). Women were found to suffer transitional fractures at a younger age than men (P<0.001). Patients with residual articular displacement of up to 2.4 mm after definitive treatment did not have worse functional outcomes compared with those who had an anatomic reduction on any of the Foot and Ankle Outcomes Score subscales and the Marx Activity Scale. Similarly, there was no correlation between the magnitude of residual gap or step-off with functional outcome when the gap and step-off are <2.5 mm. Patients with longer-term follow-up (>4 y) did not have deterioration of function compared with those with a follow-up of 2 to 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Tillaux and triplane fractures have good medium-term outcomes after reduction and fixation. Using primarily closed reduction and percutaneous fixation techniques, patients with a residual displacement of <2.5 mm after treatment have a uniformly good result. Functional results do not deteriorate at longer-term follow-up (4 to 10 y) as long as adequate reduction has been achieved. Percutaneous fixation yielded uniformly good results on all scales. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic level III.

Iatrogenic burn caused by an operating microscope: case report.

We present a patient who experienced a burn from an operating microscope during surgery for a brachial plexus birth palsy, a literature review, and recommendations on how to avoid such injuries.

Bias towards publishing positive results in orthopedic and general surgery: a patient safety issue?

BACKGROUND: Research articles reporting positive findings in the fields of orthopedic and general surgery appear to be represented at a considerably higher prevalence in the peer-reviewed literature, compared to published studies on negative or neutral data. This "publication bias" may alter the balance of the available evidence-based literature and may affect patient safety in surgery by depriving important information from unpublished negative studies. METHODS: A comprehensive review of all published articles in a defined 7-year period was performed in 12 representative journals in the fields of orthopedic and general surgery. Every article published in all volumes of these journals between January 2000 and December 2006 was reviewed and rated by three investigators. Rating of articles was performed according to a uniform, standardized algorithm. All original articles were stratified into "positive", "negative" or "neutral", depending on the reported results. All non-original papers were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: A total of 30,197 publications were reviewed over a 7-year time-period. After excluding all non-original articles, a total of 16,397 original papers were included in the final analysis. Of these, 12,251 (74%) articles were found to report positive findings, 2,709 (17%) reported negative results, and 1,437 (9%) were neutral. A similar publication pattern was found among all years and all journals analyzed. Altogether, 91% of all original papers reported significant data (positive or negative), whereas only 9% were neutral studies that did not report any significant findings. CONCLUSION: There is a disproportionately high number of articles reporting positive results published in the surgical literature. A bias towards publishing positive data will systematically overestimate the clinical relevance of treatment effects by disregarding important information derived from unpublished negative studies. This "publication bias" remains an area of concern and may affect the quality of care of patients undergoing surgical procedures.