Involvement in a Personal Injury Claim Is Associated With More Pain and Delayed Return to Work After Elective Nonsurgical or Surgical Treatment for Hand or Wrist Disorders: A Propensity Score-matched Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: A small proportion of patients treated for a hand or wrist condition are also involved in a personal injury claim that may or may not be related to the reason for seeking treatment. There are already indications that patients involved in a personal injury claim have more severe symptoms preoperatively and worse surgical outcomes. However, for nonsurgical treatment, it is unknown whether involvement in a personal injury claim affects treatment outcomes. Similarly, it is unknown whether treatment invasiveness affects the association between involvement in a personal injury claim and the outcomes of nonsurgical treatment. Finally, most studies did not take preoperative differences into account. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Do patients with a claim have more pain during loading, less function, and longer time to return to work after nonsurgical treatment than matched patients without a personal injury claim? (2) Do patients with a personal injury claim have more pain, less function, and longer time to return to work after minor surgery than matched patients without a personal injury claim? (3) Do patients with a personal injury claim have more pain, less function, and longer time to return to work after major surgery than matched patients without a personal injury claim? METHODS: We used data from a longitudinally maintained database of patients treated for hand or wrist disorders in the Netherlands between December 2012 and May 2020. During the study period, 35,749 patients for whom involvement in a personal injury claim was known were treated nonsurgically or surgically for hand or wrist disorders. All patients were invited to complete the VAS (scores range from 0 to 100) for pain and hand function before treatment and at follow-up. We excluded patients who did not complete the VAS on pain and hand function before treatment and those who received a rare treatment, which we defined as fewer than 20 occurrences in our dataset, resulting in 29,101 patients who were eligible for evaluation in this study. Employed patients (66% [19,134 of 29,101]) were also asked to complete a questionnaire regarding return to work. We distinguished among nonsurgical treatment (follow-up at 3 months), minor surgery (such as trigger finger release, with follow-up of 3 months), and major surgery (such as trapeziectomy, with follow-up at 12 months). The mean age was 53 ± 15 years, 64% (18,695 of 29,101) were women, and 2% (651 of 29,101) of all patients were involved in a personal injury claim. For each outcome and treatment type, patients with a personal injury claim were matched to similar patients without a personal injury claim using 1:2 propensity score matching to account for differences in patient characteristics and baseline pain and hand function. For nonsurgical treatment VAS analysis, there were 115 personal injury claim patients and 230 matched control patients, and for return to work analysis, there were 83 claim and 166 control patients. For minor surgery VAS analysis, there were 172 personal injury claim patients and 344 matched control patients, and for return to work analysis, there were 108 claim and 216 control patients. For major surgery VAS analysis, there were 129 personal injury claim patients and 258 matched control patients, and for return to work analysis, there were 117 claim and 234 control patients. RESULTS: For patients treated nonsurgically, those with a claim had more pain during load at 3 months than matched patients without a personal injury claim (49 ± 30 versus 39 ± 30, adjusted mean difference 9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2 to 15]; p = 0.008), but there was no difference in hand function (61 ± 27 versus 66 ± 28, adjusted mean difference -5 [95% CI -11 to 1]; p = 0.11). Each week, patients with a personal injury claim had a 39% lower probability of returning to work than patients without a claim (HR 0.61 [95% CI 0.45 to 0.84]; p = 0.002). For patients with an injury claim at 3 months after minor surgery, there was more pain (44 ± 30 versus 34 ± 29, adjusted mean difference 10 [95% CI 5 to 15]; p < 0.001), lower function (60 ± 28 versus 69 ± 28, adjusted mean difference -9 [95% CI -14 to -4]; p = 0.001), and 32% lower probability of returning to work each week (HR 0.68 [95% CI 0.52 to 0.89]; p = 0.005). For patients with an injury claim at 1 year after major surgery, there was more pain (36 ± 29 versus 27 ± 27, adjusted mean difference 9 [95% CI 4 to 15]; p = 0.002), worse hand function (66 ± 28 versus 76 ± 26, adjusted mean difference -9 [95% CI -15 to -4]; p = 0.001), and a 45% lower probability of returning to work each week (HR 0.55 [95% CI 0.42 to 0.73]; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Personal injury claim involvement was associated with more posttreatment pain and a longer time to return to work for patients treated for hand or wrist disorders, regardless of treatment invasiveness. Patients with a personal injury claim who underwent surgery also rated their postoperative hand function as worse than similar patients who did not have a claim. Depending on treatment invasiveness, only 42% to 55% of the personal injury claim patients experienced a clinically relevant improvement in pain. We recommend that clinicians extensively discuss the expected treatment outcomes and the low probability of a clinically relevant improvement in pain with their personal injury claim patients and that they broach the possibility of postponing treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Prevalence of Complications and Association With Patient-Reported Outcomes After Trapeziectomy With a Weilby Sling: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to report complications during the first year after trapeziectomy with Weilby sling using a standardized tool designed by the International Consortium for Health Outcome Measures. The secondary aim was to determine the association of complications and patient-reported outcomes 12 months after surgery. METHODS: We included patients who underwent trapeziectomy with Weilby sling between November 2013 and December 2018. All complications during the first year were scored using the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement Complications in Hand and Wrist conditions (ICHAW) tool. Pain and hand function were measured before surgery and 12 months after surgery using the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). Minimally Important Change thresholds of 18.6 for MHQ pain and 9.4 for MHQ function were used to determine clinical importance. RESULTS: Of 531 patients after trapeziectomy with Weilby sling, 65% had an uneventful recovery, 16% experienced ICHAW Grade 1 deviations only, and 19% experienced Grade 2 or 3 deviations, including requiring antibiotics, corticosteroid injections, or additional surgery. On average, patients improved in pain and hand function, even in the presence of ICHAW events. Although all ICHAW grades were associated with poorer patient-reported outcomes 12 months after surgery, Grade 2 and 3 exceeded the Minimally Important Change threshold for pain and/or function. CONCLUSIONS: In 531 patients, 65% had an uneventful recovery, 16% experienced ICHAW Grade 1 deviations only, and 19% experienced grade 2 or 3 deviations. We recommend describing Grade 1 as "adverse protocol deviations" and grade 2 and 3 as complications, because of clinically relevant poorer patient-reported outcomes 12 months after surgery. The ICHAW is a promising tool to evaluate systematically and compare complications in hand surgery, although we recommend further evaluation. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

What Are the Minimally Important Changes of Four Commonly Used Patient-reported Outcome Measures for 36 Hand and Wrist Condition-Treatment Combinations?

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are frequently used to assess treatment outcomes for hand and wrist conditions. To adequately interpret these outcomes, it is important to determine whether a statistically significant change is also clinically relevant. For this purpose, the minimally important change (MIC) was developed, representing the minimal within-person change in outcome that patients perceive as a beneficial treatment effect. Prior studies demonstrated substantial differences in MICs between condition-treatment combinations, suggesting that MICs are context-specific and cannot be reliably generalized. Hence, a study providing MICs for a wide diversity of condition-treatment combinations for hand and wrist conditions will contribute to more accurate treatment evaluations. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What are the MICs of the most frequently used PROMs for common condition-treatment combinations of hand and wrist conditions? (2) Do MICs vary based on the invasiveness of the treatment (nonsurgical treatment or surgical treatment)? METHODS: This study is based on data from a longitudinally maintained database of patients with hand and wrist conditions treated in one of 26 outpatient clinics in the Netherlands between November 2013 and November 2020. Patients were invited to complete several validated PROMs before treatment and at final follow-up. All patients were invited to complete the VAS for pain and hand function. Depending on the condition, patients were also invited to complete the Michigan Hand outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) (finger and thumb conditions), the Patient-rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation (PRWHE) (wrist conditions), or the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) (nerve conditions). Additionally, patients completed the validated Satisfaction with Treatment Result Questionnaire at final follow-up. Final follow-up timepoints were 3 months for nonsurgical and minor surgical treatment (including trigger finger release) and 12 months for major surgical treatment (such as trapeziectomy). Our database included 55,651 patients, of whom we excluded 1528 who only required diagnostic management, 25,099 patients who did not complete the Satisfaction with Treatment Result Questionnaire, 3509 patients with missing data in the PROM of interest at baseline or follow-up, and 1766 patients who were part of condition-treatment combinations with less than 100 patients. The final sample represented 43% (23,749) of all patients and consisted of 36 condition-treatment combinations. In this final sample, 26% (6179) of patients were managed nonsurgically and 74% (17,570) were managed surgically. Patients had a mean ± SD age of 55 ± 14 years, and 66% (15,593) of patients were women. To estimate the MIC, we used two anchor-based methods (the anchor mean change and the MIC predict method), which were triangulated afterward to obtain a single MIC. Applying this method, we calculated the MIC for 36 condition-treatment combinations, comprising 22 different conditions, and calculated the MIC for combined nonsurgical and surgical treatment groups. To examine whether the MIC differs between nonsurgical and surgical treatments, we performed a Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare the MICs of all PROM scores between nonsurgical and surgical treatment. RESULTS: We found a large variation in triangulated MICs between the condition-treatment combinations. For example, for nonsurgical treatment of hand OA, the MICs of VAS pain during load clustered around 10 (interquartile range 8 to 11), for wrist osteotomy/carpectomy it was around 25 (IQR 24 to 27), and for nerve decompression it was 21. Additionally, the MICs of the MHQ total score ranged from 4 (nonsurgical treatment of CMC1 OA) to 15 (trapeziectomy with LRTI and bone tunnel), for the PRWHE total score it ranged from 2 (nonsurgical treatment of STT OA) to 29 (release of first extensor compartment), and for the BCTQ Symptom Severity Scale it ranged from 0.44 (nonsurgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome) to 0.87 (carpal tunnel release). An overview of all MIC values is available in a freely available online application at: https://analyse.equipezorgbedrijven.nl/shiny/mic-per-treatment/. In the combined treatment groups, the triangulated MIC values were lower for nonsurgical treatment than for surgical treatment (p < 0.001). The MICs for nonsurgical treatment can be approximated to be one-ninth (IQR 0.08 to 0.13) of the scale (approximately 11 on a 100-point instrument), and surgical treatment had MICs that were approximately one-fifth (IQR 0.14 to 0.24) of the scale (approximately 19 on a 100-point instrument). CONCLUSION: MICs vary between condition-treatment combinations and differ depending on the invasiveness of the intervention. Patients receiving a more invasive treatment have higher treatment expectations, may experience more discomfort from their treatment, or may feel that the investment of undergoing a more invasive treatment should yield greater improvement, leading to a different perception of what constitutes a beneficial treatment effect. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our findings indicate that the MIC is context-specific and may be misleading if applied inappropriately. Implementation of these condition-specific and treatment-specific MICs in clinical research allows for a better study design and to achieve more accurate treatment evaluations. Consequently, this could aid clinicians in better informing patients about the expected treatment results and facilitate shared decision-making in clinical practice. Future studies may focus on adaptive techniques to achieve individualized MICs, which may ultimately aid clinicians in selecting the optimal treatment for individual patients.

Routinely-Collected Outcomes of Proximal Row Carpectomy.

PURPOSE: To describe patient-reported pain and function 12 months after proximal row carpectomy (PRC). Secondary outcomes included return to work, grip strength, range of wrist motion, satisfaction with treatment results, and complications. METHODS: This cohort study was part of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand Studyathon 2021, using ongoing routinely-collected data of 304 eligible patients who underwent PRC (73% scapholunate advanced collapse, 11% scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse wrist; 11% Kienböck, 5% other indications) from Xpert Clinics, the Netherlands between 2012-2020. The primary outcome was the Patient Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation total score (range, 0-100, lower scores indicate better performance). RESULTS: Of the 304 patients, the primary outcome was available in 217 patients. The total Patient Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation score improved from 60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 57-63) to 38 (95% CI, 35-41) at 3 months, and 26 (95% CI, 23-29) at 12 months. The pain and function subscales improved by 18 (95% CI, 17-20) and 16 (95% CI, 14-18) points, respectively. At 12 months, 82% had returned to work at a median time of 12 (95% CI, 9-14) weeks following PRC. Grip strength did not improve. Wrist flexion and extension demonstrated a clinically irrelevant decrease. Satisfaction with treatment result was excellent in 27% of patients, good in 42%, fair in 20%, moderate in 6%, and poor in 5%. Complications occurred in 11% of patients, and conversion to wrist arthroplasty occurred in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: A clinically relevant improvement in patient-reported pain and function was observed at 3 months after PRC, with continued improvement to 12 months. These data can be used for shared-decision making and expectation management. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Return to Usual Work Following an Ulnar Shortening Osteotomy: A Sample of 111 Patients.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to analyze the median time until patients performed their usual work following an ulnar shortening osteotomy (USO). The secondary aim was to identify factors influencing the median time until return to their usual work. METHODS: We used a retrospective cohort of patients with ongoing data collection from our institution in the Netherlands. Patients with paid employment who underwent USO were invited to complete a return-to-work questionnaire at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. The probability of and median time until return to usual work were assessed using an inverted Kaplan-Meier analysis. Factors influencing the return to usual work were evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression. RESULTS: In total, 111 patients who underwent USO were included, with a mean age of 46 years. The probability of returning to usual work in the first year was 92%, and the median time was 12 weeks. The type of work was independently associated with a return to work, with median times of 8, 12, and 14 weeks for light, moderate, and heavy physical work, respectively. We did not find differences in return to usual work based on age, sex, duration of complaints until surgery, treatment side, smoking status, the preoperative Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation score, or whether the osteotomy was performed freehand or with an external cutting device. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the patients that underwent USO fully performed their usual work by 12 weeks following surgery. We found that 92% of the patients performed their usual work within 1 year after surgery. We found a large variation in the time until a return to work based on the type of work. Surgeons can use this data to inform patients on the rehabilitation phase after USO. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic IV.

Comparing Patient-Reported Outcomes on Three-Ligament Tenodesis between Partial and Complete Scapholunate Ligament Injuries: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Multiple studies report outcomes after 3-ligament tenodesis (3-LT) in treating traumatic scapholunate interosseous ligament injury (SLIL). However, investigators do not differentiate between patients with partial or complete SLIL injury. The relation between the extent of SLIL disruption and surgical outcomes and if this should be considered when treating a patient with SLIL injury remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate differences in patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) scores, satisfaction and return to work between patients with partial or complete chronic traumatic SLIL injury treated with 3 ligament tenodesis at 12 months after surgery. METHODS: All patients with chronic SLIL injury (partial and complete) who were treated with 3-LT at our clinic and received the same postoperative management between December 2011 and December 2019 were studied. Only patients who had completed the PRWE and return to work questionnaires preoperatively and 12 months after surgery were included. Patients were allocated to the partial (classified as Geissler 2 or 3) or complete SLIL injury group (classified as Geissler 4) by retrospectively assessing wrist arthroscopy reports. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients with partial and 90 with complete SLIL injuries were included. At 1-year follow-up, PRWE scores had significantly improved in both groups. When adjusting for clinical baseline characteristics, there was no statistically significant difference between patients with partial or complete SLIL injury. Patients with complete SLIL injury had a 70% higher return to work within the first 12 months after 3-LT; however, satisfaction with the treatment result was similar for both study groups 1 year after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with complete and partial traumatic SLIL injury report better PRWE total scores at 12 months after 3-LT, but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in PRWE scores or satisfaction with the treatment result. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Are Patient Expectations and Illness Perception Associated with Patient-reported Outcomes from Surgical Decompression in de Quervain's Tenosynovitis?

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors such as depression, pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, pain anxiety, and more negative illness perceptions are associated with worse pain and function in patients at the start of treatment for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Longitudinal studies have found symptoms of depression and pain catastrophizing at baseline were associated with worse pain after treatment. It is important to study patients opting for surgery for their condition because patients should choose surgical treatment based on their values rather than misconceptions. Psychological factors associated with worse patient-reported outcomes from surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis should be identified and addressed preoperatively so surgeons can correct any misunderstandings about the condition. QUESTION/PURPOSE: What preoperative psychosocial factors (depression, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, illness perception, and patient expectations) are associated with pain and function 3 months after surgical treatment of de Quervain's tenosynovitis after controlling for demographic characteristics? METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 164 patients who underwent surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis between September 2017 and October 2018 performed by 20 hand surgeons at 18 centers. Our database included 326 patients who underwent surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis during the study period. Of these, 62% (201 of 326) completed all baseline questionnaires and 50% (164 of 326) also completed patient-reported outcomes at 3 months postoperatively. We found no difference between those included and those not analyzed in terms of age, sex, duration of symptoms, smoking status, and workload. The mean ± SD age of the patients was 52 ± 14 years, 86% (141 of 164) were women, and the mean duration of symptoms was 13 ± 19 months. Patients completed the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), the VAS for pain and function, the Patient Health Questionnaire for symptoms of anxiety and depression, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Credibility/Expectations Questionnaire, and the Brief Illness Perceptions questionnaire at baseline. Patients also completed the PRWE and VAS for pain and function at 3 months postoperatively. We used a hierarchical multivariable linear regression model to investigate the relative contribution of patient demographics and psychosocial factors to the pain and functional outcome at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, and baseline PRWE score, we found that only the patient's expectations of treatment and how long their illness would last were associated with the total PRWE score at 3 months postoperatively. More positive patient expectations of treatment were associated with better patient-reported pain and function at 3 months postoperatively (ß = -2.0; p < 0.01), while more negative patient perceptions of how long their condition would last were associated with worse patient-reported pain and function (timeline ß = 2.7; p < 0.01). The final model accounted for 31% of the variance in the patient-reported outcome at 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Patient expectations and illness perceptions are associated with patient-reported pain and functional outcomes after surgical decompression for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Addressing misconceptions about de Quervain's tenosynovitis in terms of the consequences for patients and how long their symptoms will last should allow patients to make informed decisions about the treatment that best matches their values. Prospective studies are needed to investigate whether addressing patient expectations and illness perceptions, with decision aids for example, can improve patient-reported pain and function postoperatively in those patients who still choose surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Illness Perceptions of Patients With First Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dupuytren Contracture, or Trigger Finger.

PURPOSE: Previous studies indicate that patients with a more negative perception of their illness tend to respond less favorably to treatment, but little is known about whether illness perceptions differ based on the type of hand or wrist conditions. Therefore, we compared illness perceptions between patients scheduled to undergo surgery for 4 illnesses in hand surgery: carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC OA), Dupuytren disease, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and trigger finger syndrome (TFS). We hypothesized there would be differences in illness perception between these patient groups. METHODS: Before surgery, patients were asked to complete the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ) as part of routine outcome measurement in a specialized hand and wrist surgery clinic. The Brief-IPQ is a validated questionnaire to rapidly assess the cognitive and emotional representation of illness. Differences in illness perception between the 4 diagnostic groups, corrected for age, sex, hand dominance, and work type, were examined. Cohen D effect sizes were calculated for the between-group differences. RESULTS: We included 514 patients in the analyses: 87 with CMC OA, 146 with Dupuytren disease, 129 with CTS, and 152 with TFS. On a scale ranging from 0 (most positive perception) to 80 (most negative perception) the Brief-IPQ sum scores for these subgroups were 42.0, 28.2, 38.8, and 33.3, respectively. Corrected for age, sex, hand dominance, and work type, patients with Dupuytren disease had a more positive perception of their illness than patients with CMC OA and CTS. Compared with CMC OA patients, the effect sizes for Dupuytren, CTS, and TFS patients were, respectively, 1.28, 0.32, and 0.81. CONCLUSIONS: In these patients with various hand/wrist disorders, differences were found in their preoperative perceptions of illness. Interventions that directly target negative illness perceptions might improve treatment outcomes for CMC OA and CTS. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These differences should be considered during preoperative medical consultations and/or when investigating surgical outcomes.

Predicting Outcome After Hand Orthosis and Hand Therapy for Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To identify predictive factors for outcome after splinting and hand therapy for carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA) and to identify predictive factors for conversion to surgical treatment; and (2) to determine how many patients who have not improved in outcome within 6 weeks after start of treatment will eventually improve after 3 months. DESIGN: Observational prospective multicenter cohort study. SETTING: Xpert Clinic in the Netherlands. This clinic comprises 15 locations in the Netherlands, with 16 European Board certified (FESSH) hand surgeons and over 50 hand therapists. PARTICIPANTS: Between 2011 and 2014, patients with CMC OA (N=809) received splinting and weekly hand therapy for 3 months. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Satisfaction and pain were measured with a visual analog scale and function with the Michigan Hand Questionnaire at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months posttreatment. Using regression analysis, patient demographics and pretreatment baseline scores were considered as predictors for the outcome of conservative treatment after 3 months and for conversion to surgery. RESULTS: Multivariable regression model explained 34%-42% of the variance in outcome (P<.001) with baseline satisfaction, pain, and function as significant predictors. Cox regression analysis showed that baseline pain and function were significant predictors for receiving surgery. Of patients with no clinically relevant improvement in pain and function after 6 weeks, 73%-83% also had no clinically relevant improvement after 3 months. CONCLUSION: This study showed that patients with either high pain or low function may benefit most from conservative treatment. We therefore recommend to always start with conservative treatment, regardless of symptom severity of functional loss at start of treatment. Furthermore, it seems valuable to discuss the possibility of surgery with patients after 6 weeks of therapy, when levels of improvement are still mainly unsatisfactory.

Exercise Therapy in Addition to an Orthosis Reduces Pain More Than an Orthosis Alone in Patients With Thumb Base Osteoarthritis: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of exercises and orthotics with orthotics alone on pain and hand function in patients with first carpometacarpal joint (CMC-1) osteoarthritis (OA) and to predict outcomes on pain and hand function of exercises and orthotics. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with propensity score matching. SETTING: Data collection took place in 13 outpatient clinics for hand surgery and hand therapy in The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive, population-based sample of patients with CMC-1 OA (N=173) was included in this study, of which 84 were matched on baseline demographics and baseline primary outcomes. INTERVENTIONS: Exercises and orthotics versus orthotics alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes included pain and hand function at 3 months, measured using visual analog scale (VAS, 0-100) and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ, 0-100). RESULTS: A larger decrease in VAS pain at rest (11.1 points difference; 95% confidence interval, 1.9-20.3; P=.002) and during physical load (22.7 points difference; 95% confidence interval, 13.6-31.0; P<.001) was found in the exercise + orthotic group compared to the orthotic group. In addition, larger improvement was found for the MHQ subscales pain, work performance, aesthetics, and satisfaction in the exercise + orthotic group. No differences were found on other outcomes. Baseline scores of metacarpophalangeal flexion, presence of scaphotrapeziotrapezoid OA, VAS pain at rest, heavy physical labor, and MHQ total predicted primary outcomes for the total exercise + orthotic group (N=131). CONCLUSIONS: Non-surgical treatment of patients with CMC-1 OA should include exercises, since there is a relatively large treatment effect compared to using an orthosis alone. Future research should study exercises and predictors in a more standardized setting to confirm this finding.

Shorter vs Longer Immobilization After Surgery for Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A Propensity Score-Matched Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if shorter immobilization is noninferior to longer immobilization after Weilby procedure for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with propensity score matching. SETTING: Data collection took place in 16 outpatient clinics for hand surgery and hand therapy. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 131 participants with shorter immobilization and 131 participants with longer immobilization (N=262). INTERVENTION: Shorter immobilization (3-5 days plaster cast followed by a thumb spica orthosis including wrist until 4 weeks postoperatively) was compared with longer immobilization (10-14 days plaster cast followed by a thumb spica orthosis including wrist until 6 weeks postoperatively) after Weilby procedure for first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Propensity score matching was used to control for confounders. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes were pain measured with a visual analog scale and hand function measured with the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire at 3 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were complications, range of motion, grip and pinch strength, satisfaction with treatment, and return to work. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in visual analog scale pain (effect size, 0.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.21 to 0.27) or the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (effect size, 0.01; 95% CI, -0.23 to 0.25) between the groups at 3 months or at 12 months. Furthermore, no differences were found in complication rate or in other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, shorter immobilization of 3-5 days of a plaster cast after Weilby procedure is equal to longer immobilization for outcomes on pain, hand function, and our secondary outcomes. These results indicate that shorter immobilization is safe and can be recommended, since discomfort of longer immobilization may be prevented and patients may be able to recover sooner, which may lead to reduced loss of productivity. Future studies need to investigate effectiveness of early active and more progressive hand therapy following first carpometacarpal joint arthroplasty.

Which Psychological Variables Are Associated With Pain and Function Before Surgery for de Quervain's Tenosynovitis? A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing have been associated with worse pain and function in studies of patients with de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Illness perceptions are the patient's thoughts and feelings about their illness. More negative perceptions of the illness such as the illness having a long duration or serious consequences are associated with worse physical function in patients with hand osteoarthritis. It is currently unknown whether these psychological factors play a similar role in de Quervain's. We chose to study patients who have tried nonoperative management and have chosen surgical decompression due to persistent symptoms. Psychological factors may be associated with their ongoing pain and impaired function, so it is particularly important to investigate the role of psychosocial factors that may be targeted with non-invasive interventions. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Which psychological variables are independently associated with baseline pain and function in patients undergoing surgical treatment for de Quervain's tenosynovitis, after controlling for clinical and demographic variables? METHODS: This cross-sectional study included data from a longitudinally maintained database on 229 patients who had surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis between September 2017 and October 2018. All management options were discussed with patients, but many had already tried nonoperative management and chose surgery once referred to our institution. Our database included 958 patients with de Quervain's, with 69% (659) managed nonoperatively and 34% (326 of 958) who underwent surgical decompression. A total of 70% (229 of 958) completed all questionnaires and could be included in the study. With the numbers available, we found no differences between those included and those not analyzed in terms of age, gender, duration of symptoms, BMI, smoking status, and workload.Patients completed the Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation (PRWHE), Patient Health Questionnaire for emotional distress, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. We investigated the relative contribution of patient demographics and individual psychosocial factors using a hierarchical multivariable linear regression model. In the first step we considered how demographic factors were associated with the baseline PRWHE score. In the second step we investigated the effect of pain catastrophizing and emotional distress on the baseline PRWHE score after accounting for confounding demographic factors. In the final step, the effect of illness perceptions on baseline PRWHE were considered after accounting for the confounding effects of demographic factors as well as pain catastrophizing and emotional distress. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding variables including workload and emotional distress, a more negative patient perception of the consequences of their condition and worse pain catastrophizing were associated with worse pain and function (consequences, ß = 0.31; p < 0.01, pain catastrophizing ß = 0.17; p = 0.03). A hierarchical multivariable regression analysis found that 11% of variance in baseline pain and function was explained by pain catastrophizing and emotional distress. Illness perceptions brought the total explained variance of the final model to 34%. CONCLUSIONS: More negative perceptions of the consequences of de Quervain's tenosynovitis and worse pain catastrophizing are associated with worse pain and reduced function at baseline in patients awaiting surgical decompression of de Quervain's tenosynovitis. In light of these findings, future studies might explore interventions to reduce pain catastrophizing and lower the perceived consequences of the condition. This may reduce the number of patients choosing surgical decompression or may also improve surgical outcomes. Further work should consider if these psychological factors are also associated with postoperative patient-reported outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE LEVEL: III, therapeutic study.

Outcome of a Hand Orthosis and Hand Therapy for Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis in Daily Practice: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Initial treatment for symptomatic carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA) of the thumb is usually nonsurgical. However, evidence on the effect of a hand orthosis and hand therapy for mid- and long-term results is limited, and it is unknown how many patients undergo additional surgical treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the outcome of a hand orthosis and hand therapy for CMC OA in a large cohort study, and to evaluate the conversion rate to surgical treatment. METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective cohort study, patients treated with a hand orthosis and hand therapy for primary CMC OA between 2011 and 2014 were included. Pain (visual analog scale) and function (Michigan Hand Questionnaire) were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and at 12 months after the start of treatment. All patients converted to surgery were recorded between 2012 and 2016. Outcome was compared with baseline, and post hoc comparisons were made between patients who were not converted to surgery and patients who were converted to surgery after initially receiving a hand orthosis and hand therapy. Lastly, subgroup analysis was performed based on baseline pain levels. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 0.9 years, 15% of all patients were surgically treated. In the group that was not converted to surgery, pain (visual analog scale) significantly improved from 49 ± 20 at baseline to 36 ± 24 at 12 months. The Michigan Hand Questionnaire score was essentially unchanged from 65 ± 15 at baseline to 69 ± 10 at 12 months. Post hoc testing showed that improvement in pain was only significant between baseline and 6 weeks, and thereafter stabilized until 1 year after the start of treatment. The group that converted to surgery did not show any improvement in pain and function at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of patients with thumb CMC OA who underwent hand therapy including an orthosis, 15% of the patients underwent additional surgical treatment. The patients (85%) who did not undergo surgery improved in pain and function, although only improvements in pain were significant and clinically relevant. Most improvement was seen in the first 6 weeks and stabilized till 1 year after the start of treatment. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Trapeziometacarpal Arthrodesis or Trapeziectomy with Ligament Reconstruction in Primary Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A 5-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To compare the long-term outcomes of trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) with trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis for osteoarthritis (OA) of the basal thumb joint. METHODS: Patients were evaluated for pain, daily functioning, strength, and complications after a mean follow-up of 5.3 years. Generalized estimating equations statistics were used to compare repeated measurements over time in both groups. RESULTS: After 5 years, patients who had trapeziectomy with LRTI had significantly better pain reduction and function than the arthrodesis group. Pain and function in the LRTI group continued to improve compared with the results 1 year after surgery, whereas the arthrodesis group did not change. Grip and pinch strength were higher than 1 year after surgery but were not different between groups. In the arthrodesis group, 1 patient was reoperated for nonunion between 1 year and a mean of 5 years after surgery, resulting in a total of 18% nonunion. Another patient underwent reoperation for hardware-related pain. One patient from each group required reoperation because of pain due to scaphotrapeziotrapezoid OA. CONCLUSIONS: Trapeziectomy with LRTI leads to better pain reduction and functional outcome after between 1 and 5 years compared with trapeziometacarpal arthrodesis in women over 40 years old with OA stages II to III. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

The Effect of a Bone Tunnel During Ligament Reconstruction for Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A 5-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To compare in trapeziometacarpal (TMC) osteoarthritis the effects of trapeziectomy with tendon interposition and ligament reconstruction (LRTI) with or without a bone tunnel after a mean follow-up of 5 years. METHODS: We randomized 79 women (aged 40 years or older) with stage IV TMC osteoarthritis to either trapeziectomy with LRTI using a bone tunnel (Burton-Pellegrini) or a tendon sling arthroplasty (Weilby). Before surgery and at 3 months and 1 year after surgery, patients were evaluated for pain, function, strength, satisfaction, and complications. Of these patients, 72% were evaluated after a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 3.8-6.4 years). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in function and pain (Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation) between treatment groups after a mean follow-up of 5 years. In addition, grip and pinch strength, satisfaction, and persisting complications did not differ between groups. Three patients in the Weilby group had repeat surgery (2 for symptomatic scaphotrapezoidal osteoarthritis and 1 elsewhere) and one in the Burton-Pellegrini group operated on again elsewhere. Furthermore, 3 patients who were first conservatively treated for a trigger finger or neuroma were operated on again because conservative therapy failed. Two more patients were operated on again because of de Quervain tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. The overall treatment effect of both groups together showed no significant differences between results at 1 and 5 years after surgery, except for grip strength, which improved for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that improved function, strength, and satisfaction obtained at 1 year after trapeziectomy with LRTI with or without the use of a bone tunnel for stage IV TMC thumb osteoarthritis was maintained after 5 years. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic I.

Comparison of arthroplasties with or without bone tunnel creation for thumb basal joint arthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the results for treatment of basal thumb osteoarthritis with and without the use of a bone tunnel at the base of the first metacarpal. METHODS: Women aged 40 years or older with stage IV osteoarthritis were randomized to 1 of 2 treatments. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 and 12 months by assessing pain, outcome function measures, range of motion, strength, time to return to work or activities, satisfaction with the results, and complication rate. RESULTS: A total of 79 patients were enrolled in this study. Three months after surgery, Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation pain and total scores were significantly improved in the bone tunnel group compared with the tunnel-free group. At 12 months, however, we found no significant differences for all outcome scores between groups. In addition, we observed no significant differences between groups in strength, duration to return to work or activities, patient satisfaction, and complication rates. CONCLUSIONS: After the bone tunnel technique, patients have better function and less pain 3 months after surgery than do those in the non-bone tunnel group, which indicates faster recovery. However, 12 months after surgery, the functional outcome was similar. Because of faster recovery, we prefer the bone tunnel technique in the treatment of stage IV osteoarthritis. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic I.

Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation Threshold for Successful Open Surgery of the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex.

Purpose To determine thresholds in patient-reported outcome measures at baseline in patients electing to undergo triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) surgery to select patients with clinically improved outcomes. Methods The study cohort comprised consecutive patients who underwent open TFCC repair between December 2011 and December 2018 in various clinics in the Netherlands. All patients were asked to complete the patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) questionnaire at baseline as well as at 12 months postoperatively. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the PRWE was calculated to be 24 using an anchor-based method. We compared patient, disease, and surgical characteristics between patients who did and did not reach the MCID. The t -tests and chi-square tests were undertaken to test differences between outcomes and satisfaction in patients who did or did not reach the MCID. Results Patients (34%) who did not reach MCID had a longer history of complaints. The chances of reaching the MCID for patients with a low PRWE score at baseline were slim. Of patients with a PRWE score <34 at baseline, only 14% reached the MCID, whereas in patients with a PRWE score of ≥34, 69% reached the MCID. Conclusion A PRWE total score at baseline <34 is a strong signal to reconsider open surgery of the TFCC because the chance of reaching a clinically meaningful outcome is slim. Level of Evidence II. Type of Study Therapeutic.

Surgical Techniques in Non-Traumatic Midcarpal Instability: Evaluating the Dorsal Capsulodesis and Three-Ligament Tenodesis Technique.

BACKGROUND: Surgical management of midcarpal instability (MCI), also referred to as carpal instability nondissociative, remains controversial due to limited evidence on different techniques. This study aimed to assess and compare differences in patient-reported pain, hand and wrist function, patient satisfaction, range of motion, and return to work in patients with non-traumatic MCI who underwent surgical treatment either through dorsal wrist capsulodesis or three-ligament tenodesis (3LT). METHODS: Patients with MCI and persisting complaints after conservative therapy treated with 3LT or dorsal capsulodesis were included. Patients with posttraumatic instability were excluded. Primary endpoints included the Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) and Satisfaction with Treatment Result Questionnaire at 12 months postoperative. All data were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 91 patients treated with dorsal capsulodesis and 21 treated with 3LT between December 2011 and December 2019 were included. At twelve months postoperative, both treatment groups reported significant improvements in pain and function scores. However, at three months postoperative, the dorsal capsulodesis group exhibited significantly better outcomes, followed by a greater return to work (72%) compared to the 3LT group (50%). However, the capsulodesis group demonstrated a decreased range of motion at three months which was restored at 12 months postoperative. No significant difference in satisfaction with treatment was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Both 3LT and dorsal capsulodesis demonstrate promising results for addressing non-traumatic MCI. However, considering the quicker recovery and faster return to work associated with dorsal capsulodesis, we recommend favoring capsulodesis over 3LT when both surgical options are deemed suitable for the patient. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Reconstruction of an early stage SLAC wrist with the 3-LT procedure: A controversial reappraisal.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that the three-ligament tenodesis (3-LT) procedure is still sufficient - even in scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) cases - to reduce pain and improve wrist function. We compared patient-reported outcomes of scapholunate interosseus ligament (SLIL) injury patients with SLAC to SLIL injury patients treated with 3-LT, and then to patients who received proximal row carpectomy (PRC), as a control group. METHOD: We included all patients with a traumatic SLIL injury and associated SLAC components treated with 3-LT and completed Patient Reported Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) questionnaires preoperative and at 12 months follow-up. First, we compared matched patients with SLIL injury and SLIL injury with SLAC, stage 1-3, who received 3-LT. Second, we compared patients who received 3-LT, with patients who underwent PRC, while having SLAC stage 2-3. RESULTS: We compared 51 patients with SLAC to 95 with SLIL injury who had a 3-LT procedure, and 10 3-LT patients were compared to 18 patients undergoing PRC, given SLAC 2-3. In both analyses, the PRWE scores had significantly improved in all groups, however no significant differences in PRWE were found between 3-LT in SLIL injury and SLIL injury with SLAC, 6.9 points (95% CI [-14.92; 1.22], p = 0.096) and between 3-LT and PRC, given SLAC stage 2-3, 15.1 points (not enough power). CONCLUSION: There is no difference in PRWE between matched SLIL injury patients with or without degenerative changes treated with a 3-LT. Therefore, the 3-LT procedure seems to be a viable treatment option for patients with early-stage SLAC wrist. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic III.