Minimally Invasive Corrective Osteotomy (MICO) of the Hand a Novel Technique.

Introduction: Patients facing post-traumatic malunion or congenital hand differences often contend with functional and cosmetic issues. Traditional correction methods involve open osteotomy, marked by drawbacks like scarring, non-union risks, prolonged rehabilitation, and adhesions. We therefore introduce a novel minimally invasive technique called Minimally Invasive Corrective Osteotomy of the Hand (MICO), which can be performed under local anesthesia. MICO employs a low-speed, high-torque burr to address finger malunions and congenital anomalies. Case Report: A 49-year-old male patient, generally healthy and right hand dominant, presented with a post-traumatic left middle finger, middle phalanx malunion who underwent the MICO procedure, with a 1-year post-operative follow-up. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MICO offers a straightforward, reproducible, and delicate solution for correcting hand malunions and congenital finger deformities, potentially mitigating the well-established disadvantages and complications associated with the traditional open approach. Although early results of MICO are promising, a larger case series is needed to evaluate the superiority of this technique compared with current open corrective osteotomy methods.Level of Evidence: IV.

Is Tension Band Wire Fixation Superior to Plate Fixation for Simple Displaced Olecranon Fractures? A Randomized Trial With Median Follow-up of 7.5 Years.

BACKGROUND: Surgeons disagree about the best surgical treatment for simple, displaced olecranon fractures. Although the tension band wiring technique and plate fixation are the most common surgical options for fixation, studies comparing both are limited. To date, there have been no randomized trials comparing patient-reported outcomes and complications at more than 5 years of follow-up. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Does tension band wiring or plate fixation result in better ROM and patient-reported outcome scores for simple displaced olecranon fractures? (2) What is the risk of complications associated with each technique? METHODS: Between November 2012 and October 2017, 68 patients were treated for acute, displaced olecranon fracture in a hand and upper extremity surgery unit at a tertiary-care center. Patients 18 years or older with traumatic, nonpathologic, simple olecranon fractures who presented within 2 weeks of injury were considered potentially eligible. Based on that, 74% (50) of patients met the inclusion criteria; 16% (11) of patients declined to participate in the study, and another 10% (seven) were excluded because they did not meet the prespecified inclusion criteria. Patients were randomized on a 1:1 basis to either tension band wiring or plate fixation and were evaluated at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery. At the final follow-up interval, 16% (eight) were lost to follow-up: 4% (two) in the tension band wiring group and 12% (six) in the plate fixation group. The median follow-up time was 8 years (IQR 7 to 9 years). We evaluated complications at a minimum of 6 years after surgery. The primary outcome measure was the 1-year postoperative DASH score. Additional outcome measures included the patient-reported Oxford Elbow Score, ROM, and the proportion of patients in each group who reported hardware-related symptoms and had subsequent implant removal or postoperative infection. RESULTS: No differences were observed in the DASH score (tension band wiring 18 [range 3 to 65] versus plate fixation 24 [range 3 to 52], median difference -6 [95% CI -12.7 to 14.9]; p = 0.73), Oxford Elbow Score (tension band wiring 36 [range 10 to 48] versus plate fixation 39 [range 17 to 47], median difference -3; p = 0.53), or all ROM measurements (p > 0.05) between the groups at 1 year of follow-up. The odds of having surgery for symptomatic implant removal were lower for plate fixation than for tension band wiring (one of 19 versus eight of 23, OR 9.6 [95% CI 1.08 to 85.7]; p =0.02); the odds of infection, however, were higher in the plate group (three of 19 versus 0 of 23; p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: No differences were observed between the two techniques in terms of ROM or patient-reported outcomes. Surgeons should consider that although the risk of implant removal is higher in tension band wiring, patients older than 85 years undergoing plate fixation for simple olecranon fractures are at a greater risk of postoperative infection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, therapeutic study.

Concomitant Extensor Pollicis Longus and Extensor Digitorum Longus Tendon Rupture may Complicate Surgical Reconstruction following Volar Plate Fixation of the Distal Radius: A Case Report.

Introduction: Hardware prominence is one of the major established complications following volar plating of distal radius fractures. In particular, dorsal prominence of screws is the leading risk factor associated with post-surgical extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon rupture. Although there are many descriptions of attritional EPL ruptures in the literature, concomitant presentation of attritional EPL and extensor digitorum communis (EDC) ruptures following volar plating of distal radius fractures are minimal. Case Report: We present a case of concomitant rupture of the EPL and occult rupture of the EDC to the index finger following volar plating of the distal radius. This was discovered intraoperatively and complicated the proposed tendon transfer reconstruction. Conclusion: Locked volar plate fixation has become the preferred technique for surgical management of distal radius fractures. The complication of multiple extensor tendon ruptures is rare but nevertheless may be encountered. We discuss strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Surgeons should be aware of and prepared to proceed with alternative reconstructive procedures if this complication is discovered.

Functional and patient-reported outcomes following single digit replantation: A systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVES: Finger amputations can involve different levels of injury complexity, and the success of a finger replantation is further shaped by a variety of factors, including patient characteristics, surgical technique, and postoperative rehabilitation. These variables may interact in complex ways and contribute to heterogeneity that makes it challenging to guide management for individual patients. As such, this systematic review seeks review the outcomes of isolated single digit replantation and compare patient reported outcomes following revision amputation to guide decision making. METHODS: The United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed/Medline), EMBASE and CINAHL were systematically searched to identify publications relevant to this systematic review. Related articles that were published from database inception to October 15, 2022 were extracted. The inclusion criteria consisted of English language clinical trials and observational studies reporting any functional or patient-reported outcome following single digit replantation. RESULTS: From the initial 1050 titles and abstracts that were eligible for screening, six studies representing 550 single digit replantations were included. There were 162 replanted thumbs (162/550), as reported in three studies, and 388 replanted fingers (388/550), as reported in all six studies. Overall, all six studies concluded that non-thumb single digit replantation can provide satisfactory outcomes. Five studies suggested that single digit replantation proximal to flexor zone II can have reasonable outcomes in select cases. Two of the comparative studies (Zhu et al. [1], Chung et al. [2]) showed a statistically significant increase in MHQ score in the non-thumb replant group in comparison to the revision amputation group (87.6 versus 84.6 respectively). CONCLUSION: When technically feasible, replantation is recommended, even in select index finger zone II amputations. Single digit replantation does not restore pre-injury hand function but does result in acceptable hand function when successful. Further study is needed to better inform risk-stratification of patients, and guide patient, and surgeon expectations for post-operative recovery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Effect of Time-To-Surgery on Distal Radius Fracture Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: It remains unclear whether time-to-surgery for distal radius fractures affects clinical, functional, or radiographic outcomes or health care costs/use. This systematic review investigated the outcomes of early versus delayed surgery for closed, isolated distal radius fractures in adult patients. METHODS: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL databases was completed for all original case series, observational studies, and randomized controlled trials reporting clinical outcomes of both early and delayed surgically-treated distal radius fractures from database inception to July 01, 2022. A consistent threshold of two weeks was used to define early versus delayed treatment arms. RESULTS: Nine studies, including 16 intervention arms and 1,189 patients (858 early, 331 delayed), were included. Mean age was 58 years (range, 33-76). At more than one year, the frequency-weighted mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was 4 in the early group (n = 208; range, 1-17) and 21 in the delayed group (n = 181; range, 4-27). Range of motion, grip strength, and radiographic outcomes were comparable. The pooled mean complication rate (7% vs 5%) and revision rate (3.6% vs 1%) were very low in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: A delay in time-to-surgery greater than two weeks for distal radius fractures may be associated with inferior patient-reported outcomes. Early surgery was associated with improved long-term Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores. On the basis of the available evidence, range of motion, grip strength, and radiographic outcomes are similar. The complication and revision rates were very low in both groups and comparable. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Frostbite of The Extremities - Recognition, Evaluation and Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Frostbite refers to the freezing of body tissue which is caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures and results in tissue destruction. Tissue damage is due to both immediate cold-induced cell death and the more gradual development of localized inflammatory processes and tissue ischemia. A detailed treatment plan based on the current UpToDate literature is needed to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. METHODS: The United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed/Medline), EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched to identify publications relevant to this review. CONCLUSION: In this review, we present the current knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of frostbite injuries. We then provide an extended and detailed treatment plan, from first aid in the field to treatment of short and long-term complications .

Does Radial Head Resection Impair Hand and Wrist Function? A Long-Term Follow-Up.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term outcome in patients after radial head resection surgery for isolated Mason type III radial head fractures. DESIGN: An observational retrospective case series. SETTING: A Hand and Upper-Extremity Surgery Unit in a tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Data were collected from files of patients who were operated between the years 1980 and 2020. Of 352 patients who underwent surgery for radial head fractures, 25 patients were eligible and were enrolled in the study. INTERVENTION: All participants underwent radial head resection surgery and a follow-up clinical and radiographic evaluation by 2 senior orthopaedic surgeons. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Objective evaluation included active range of motion of the elbow and wrist joints, ulnohumeral angle, key pinch and grip measurements, and radiographic imaging of elbow and wrist joints. Subjective evaluation included visual analog scale measurements, disability of arm shoulder and hand questionnaire, Mayo wrist score, Michigan hand outcome, and Oxford elbow score. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 18 years. Mean elbow range of motion and mean grip strength were lower in the operated hand, as compared to the contralateral hand. Mean proximal radial migration was 1.6 mm. Mean results of visual analog scale, disability of arm shoulder and hand, Mayo wrist score, Michigan hand outcome, and Oxford elbow score indicated good functional outcome and high patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: In our study population, long-term functional outcomes after radial head resection were encouraging. Thus, this procedure may be considered as a surgical alternative when radial head reconstruction or replacement fails. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Epithelioid sarcoma of the hand: a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) of the hand is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with high rates of recurrence, metastases and mortality. With an incidence rate of 0.4 cases/y per one million population, which compromise for approximately 1-1.4% of all soft tissue sarcoma, ES accounts for 10% of soft tissues sarcomas of the hand and foot. Its aggressiveness and propensity to spread and metastases without being noticed, makes it unique and potentially lethal. Missed or delayed diagnosis are often encountered as this tumor can mimic variety of different entities and due to the infrequent nature of this lesion, treatment options are still controversial. The authors provide systemic review of the current literature on epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, management and outcomes of this disease as well as a case presentation and a proposed treatment algorithm. The choice of treatment option depends on disease characteristics, staging at presentation, regional lymph node involvement, comorbidities and performance status of the patient. Emphasis on a multidisciplinary coordinated care is crucial as early diagnosis and treatment can decrease morbidity and mortality rates.

Postoperative Weightbearing Protocols After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Does Not Affect Patient Outcome: A Comparative Study With Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of immediate postoperative weightbearing protocols after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) with minimum 2-year follow-up, as measured by patient-reported outcome measures and satisfaction rates. METHODS: Between January 2011 and June 2016, patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI and labral tears were reviewed. Exclusion criteria was previous hip pathology or arthroscopy, active Workers' Compensation claims, and concomitant pathologies impeding weightbearing. Patients who were operated on before September 2013 were treated with 3 weeks of postoperative non-weightbearing (NWB), with weightbearing as tolerated (WBAT) thereafter. From October 2013, patients were allowed immediate postoperative WBAT. RESULTS: A total of 351 hip arthroscopic surgeries were performed; 133 of these patients met the inclusion criteria. Of the 133 included patients, 69 were in the NWB group and 64 were in the WBAT group. No differences were found in terms of sex (P = .603) or age (P = .241). No differences were found in postoperative scores (the Modified Harris Hip Score was 84.5 [range 79-89] for NWB vs 86.7 [78-89] for WBAT [P = .0.523], and the Hip Outcome Score was 83.1 [78-88] vs 88.4 [80-90], respectively; P = .130). Subjective rates of improvement, satisfaction score and the will to undergo surgery again did not differ between the groups (P = .674, P = .882, P = .730). The rate of subjects who met or exceeded the MCID in the NWB and WBAT groups was 82.6% and 81.2% for the Modified Harris Hip Score (P = .838) and 79.7% and 82.8% for the Hip Outcome Score (P = .647). There were no reported complications. Limitations include the possibility of the study being underpowered. CONCLUSIONS: After a 2-year minimum follow-up, patient-reported outcome measures and satisfactory rates with immediate weightbearing after hip arthroscopy for isolated FAI syndrome and labral tears do not differ significantly from results after strict NWB rehabilitation protocols. Revising weightbearing restrictions may allow for a more comfortable rehabilitation process after arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI and labral repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3 - case-control study.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the Digit.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a biologically aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of the skin. There are roughly 1500 new cases of MCC diagnosed every year in the United States, with an increased incidence over the past 15 years reaching up to 8%. Epidemiological studies show that the highest MCC incidence is seen in men older than 65 years, with a ratio of 0.23 per 10,000 among whites. Merkel cell carcinoma of the skin most commonly presents as a single, rapidly growing, flesh-colored, painless mass. Because MCC is uncommon, histopathological examination is usually delayed. Because of the high mortality rate associated with this aggressive tumor, a multidisciplinary panel is recommended to ensure high-quality coordinated care. The choice of treatment option depends on disease characteristics, staging at presentation, regional lymph node involvement, comorbidities, and performance status of the patient. We report a case of MCC to alert medical professionals of this potentially fatal tumor, as early diagnosis and treatment may improve morbidity and mortality rates.

A novel non-invasive hip traction technique for hip arthroscopy in the below-knee amputation (BKA) patient.

Prolonged sitting and mobilizing from a seated position are known to exacerbate the symptoms in patients with hip pathology. For patients who lack mobility and require extended periods of time in seated positions, such as amputees, the symptoms of femeroacetabular impingement can be debilitating and limit their ability to operate a wheelchair, use a prosthetic limb or complete activities of daily living. Hip arthroscopy surgery offers a minimally invasive technique to treat hip pathology but requires hip distraction to facilitate instrument maneuverability. Invasive methods of hip distraction have been previously described for use in amputees for hip arthroscopy. We herein describe a non-invasive surgical technique for hip distraction in the below-knee amputation patient.