Patient-Reported Outcomes and Function After Surgical Repair of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament of the Thumb.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report prospectively collected patient-reported outcomes of patients who underwent open thumb ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) repair and to find risk factors associated with poor patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: Patients undergoing open surgical repair for a complete thumb UCL rupture were included between December 2011 and February 2021. Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) total scores at baseline were compared to MHQ total scores at three and 12 months after surgery. Associations between the 12-month MHQ total score and several variables (i.e., sex, injury to surgery time, K-wire immobilization) were analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients were included. From baseline to three and 12 months after surgery, patients improved significantly with a mean MHQ total score of 65 (standard deviation [SD] 15) to 78 (SD 14) and 87 (SD 12), respectively. We did not find any differences in outcomes between patients who underwent surgery in the acute (<3 weeks) setting compared to a delayed setting (<6 months). CONCLUSIONS: We found that patient-reported outcomes improve significantly at three and 12 months after open surgical repair of the thumb UCL compared to baseline. We did not find an association between injury to surgery time and lower MHQ total scores. This suggests that acute repair for full-thickness UCL tears might not always be necessary. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Machine Learning Can be Used to Predict Function but Not Pain After Surgery for Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis is offered to patients who do not benefit from nonoperative treatment. Although surgery is generally successful in reducing symptoms, not all patients benefit. Predicting clinical improvement after surgery could provide decision support and enhance preoperative patient selection. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: This study aimed to develop and validate prediction models for clinically important improvement in (1) pain and (2) hand function 12 months after surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. METHODS: Between November 2011 and June 2020, 2653 patients were surgically treated for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. Patient-reported outcome measures were used to preoperatively assess pain, hand function, and satisfaction with hand function, as well as the general mental health of patients and mindset toward their condition. Patient characteristics, medical history, patient-reported symptom severity, and patient-reported mindset were considered as possible predictors. Patients who had incomplete Michigan Hand outcomes Questionnaires at baseline or 12 months postsurgery were excluded, as these scores were used to determine clinical improvement. The Michigan Hand outcomes Questionnaire provides subscores for pain and hand function. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating less pain and better hand function. An improvement of at least the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) of 14.4 for the pain score and 11.7 for the function score were considered "clinically relevant." These values were derived from previous reports that provided triangulated estimates of two anchor-based and one distribution-based MCID. Data collection resulted in a dataset of 1489 patients for the pain model and 1469 patients for the hand function model. The data were split into training (60%), validation (20%), and test (20%) dataset. The training dataset was used to select the predictive variables and to train our models. The performance of all models was evaluated in the validation dataset, after which one model was selected for further evaluation. Performance of this final model was evaluated on the test dataset. We trained the models using logistic regression, random forest, and gradient boosting machines and compared their performance. We chose these algorithms because of their relative simplicity, which makes them easier to implement and interpret. Model performance was assessed using discriminative ability and qualitative visual inspection of calibration curves. Discrimination was measured using area under the curve (AUC) and is a measure of how well the model can differentiate between the outcomes (improvement or no improvement), with an AUC of 0.5 being equal to chance. Calibration is a measure of the agreement between the predicted probabilities and the observed frequencies and was assessed by visual inspection of calibration curves. We selected the model with the most promising performance for clinical implementation (that is, good model performance and a low number of predictors) for further evaluation in the test dataset. RESULTS: For pain, the random forest model showed the most promising results based on discrimination, calibration, and number of predictors in the validation dataset. In the test dataset, this pain model had a poor AUC (0.59) and poor calibration. For function, the gradient boosting machine showed the most promising results in the validation dataset. This model had a good AUC (0.74) and good calibration in the test dataset. The baseline Michigan Hand outcomes Questionnaire hand function score was the only predictor in the model. For the hand function model, we made a web application that can be accessed via https://analyse.equipezorgbedrijven.nl/shiny/cmc1-prediction-model-Eng/. CONCLUSION: We developed a promising model that may allow clinicians to predict the chance of functional improvement in an individual patient undergoing surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis, which would thereby help in the decision-making process. However, caution is warranted because our model has not been externally validated. Unfortunately, the performance of the prediction model for pain is insufficient for application in clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Predicting Clinically Relevant Patient-Reported Symptom Improvement After Carpal Tunnel Release: A Machine Learning Approach.

BACKGROUND: Symptom improvement is an important goal when considering surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. There is currently no prediction model available to predict symptom improvement for patients considering a carpal tunnel release (CTR). OBJECTIVE: To predict using a model the probability of clinically relevant symptom improvement at 6 mo after CTR. METHODS: We split a cohort of 2119 patients who underwent a mini-open CTR and completed the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire preoperatively and 6 mo postoperatively into training (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Patients who improved more than the minimal clinically important difference of 0.8 at the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire-symptom severity scale were classified as "improved." Logistic regression, random forests, and gradient boosting machines were considered to train prediction models. The best model was selected based on discriminative ability (area under the curve) and calibration in the validation data set. This model was further assessed in a holdout data set (N = 397). RESULTS: A gradient boosting machine with 5 predictors was chosen as optimal trade-off between discriminative ability and the number of predictors. In the holdout data set, this model had an area under the curve of 0.723, good calibration, sensitivity of 0.77, and specificity of 0.55. The positive predictive value was 0.50, and the negative predictive value was 0.81. CONCLUSION: We developed a prediction model for clinically relevant symptom improvement 6 mo after a CTR, which required 5 patient-reported predictors (18 questions) and has reasonable discriminative ability and good calibration. The model is available online and might help shared decision making when patients are considering a CTR.

Long-term patient-reported outcomes for open surgery of the triangular fibrocartilage complex.

AIMS: Studies on long-term patient-reported outcomes after open surgery for triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) are scarce. Surgeons and patients would benefit from self-reported outcome data on pain, function, complications, and satisfaction after this surgery to enhance shared decision-making. The aim of this study is to determine the long-term outcome of adults who had open surgery for the TFCC. METHODS: A prospective cohort study that included patients with open surgery for the TFCC between December 2011 and September 2015. In September 2020, we sent these patients an additional follow-up questionnaire, including the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), to score satisfaction, complications, pain, and function. RESULTS: A total of 113 patients were included in the analysis. At ≥ 60 months after an open TFCC reinsertion, we found a mean PRWE total score of 19 (SD 21), a mean PRWE pain score of 11 (SD 11), and a PRWE function score of 9 (SD 10). The percentage of patients obtaining minimum clinically important difference rose from 77% at 12 months to 83% at more than 60 months (p < 0.001). Patients reported fewer complications than surgeons, and overall complication rate was low. CONCLUSION: Outcomes of patient-reported pain, function scores, and satisfaction are improved five years after open surgery for the TFCC. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(11):981-987.

Closing the loop: a 10-year experience with routine outcome measurements to improve treatment in hand surgery.

Routine outcome measurements as a critical prerequisite of value-based healthcare have received considerable attention recently. There has been less attention for the last step in value-based healthcare where measurement of outcomes also leads to improvement in the quality of care. This is probably not without reason, since the last part of the learning cycle: 'Closing the loop', seems the hardest to implement.The journey from measuring outcomes to changing daily care can be troublesome. As early adopters of value-based healthcare, we would like to share our 10 years of experience in this journey.Examples of feedback loops are shown based on outcome measurements implemented to improve our daily care process as a focused hand surgery and hand therapy clinic.Feedback loops can be used to improve shared decision making, to monitor or predict treatment progression over time, for extreme value detection, improve journal clubs, and surgeon evaluation.Our goal as surgeons to improve treatment should not stop at the act of implementing routine outcome measurements.We should implement routine analysis and routine feedback loops, because real-time performance feedback can accelerate our learning cycle. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:439-450. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.210012.

What Is the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life and Other Patient-reported Outcomes? An Analysis of the Hand-Wrist Study Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and its associated lockdowns in many parts of the world, have changed our daily lives and may have a psychological impact on around the globe. However, it is unknown how this influences the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of patients involved in ongoing clinical research and medical care. For both the current and potential future lockdowns, it is important to determine if PROMs collected during such a period can be interpreted with confidence. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Is there a difference in quality of life between patients in the COVID-19 period group (March 23, 2020 to May 4, 2020) and patients in a reference period group (from the same period in 2018 or 2019)? (2) Is there a difference in pain, hand function, anxiety, depression, and illness perception between patients in the COVID-19 period group and patients in the reference period group? METHODS: This study was part of a large cohort study with routine outcome measures of patients with hand and wrist conditions. To answer our research questions, we analyzed two samples because not all PROMs were sent to participants at the same time points after treatment. The first sample consisted of all participants who completed PROMs on quality of life (QoL), pain, and hand function at their final follow-up time point, which was either 3, 6, or 12 months post-treatment. The second sample consisted of participants who completed PROMs 3 months post-treatment on anxiety, depression, and illness perception. Each sample consisted of two groups: a COVID-19 period group and a reference period group. We included 1613 participants in the first sample (COVID-19 period group: n = 616; reference period group: n = 997) and 535 participants in the second sample (COVID-19 period group: n = 313; reference period group: n = 222). The primary outcome was QoL, expressed in the EuroQol 5-Dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) index score. Secondary outcomes were the other domains on the EQ-5D, as well as pain, hand function, anxiety, depression, and illness perception. RESULTS: We found no between-group differences in the EQ-5D index score (standardized mean difference 0.035; p = 0.98). Furthermore, there were no between-group differences in PROM scores for hand function, anxiety, or depression. There were, however, a few small differences in subdomain items regarding pain and illness perception, but we believe in aggregate that these are unlikely to make a clinically important difference in our main finding. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown had no influence on QoL and had little influence on secondary outcomes in participants who were part of the Hand-Wrist Study Cohort. This finding implies that PROMs data collected during this period can be used with confidence in clinical research. Our findings indicate that when a pandemic like this occurs again, we can continue to use PROMs for analysis in clinical research or routine outcome measures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Psychological Characteristics, Female Sex, and Opioid Use Predict Acute Postoperative Pain in Patients Surgically Treated for Thumb Base Osteoarthritis: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear which factors predict acute postoperative pain in patients surgically treated for thumb base osteoarthritis. The authors investigated the influence of type of surgery, preoperative sociodemographics, preoperative patient-reported outcome measures, psychological characteristics, and postoperative opioid use on acute postoperative pain 24 hours postoperatively following surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. In addition, preoperative and acute postoperative pain were compared. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 215 patients surgically treated for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis were included. Data were collected in 16 clinics for hand surgery and therapy in The Netherlands. Hierarchical regression was used to identify whether type of surgery, preoperative sociodemographics, preoperative patient-reported outcome measures, psychological characteristics (including treatment credibility and expectations, illness perception, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression), and postoperative opioid use predicted acute postoperative pain 24 hours postoperatively, measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (range, 0 to 10). RESULTS: Female sex, opioid use, higher preoperative satisfaction with hand, and higher self-reported consequences and coherence predicted greater postoperative pain, with 31 percent explained variance in the final model including psychological factors. Mean postoperative Numeric Pain Rating Scale score was lower (5.1 ± 2.4) than preoperative pain, measured using visual analogue scales (during the past week, 6.7 ± 1.7; physical load, 7.5 ± 1.7) and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (6.4 ± 1.4; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological factors, female sex, and opioid use enhance the prediction of acute postoperative pain beyond surgery type, preoperative sociodemographics, and patient-reported outcome measures. Female sex and opioid use were the strongest predictors, even after controlling for psychological factors. Future studies may investigate sex-based approaches and patient education for reducing acute postoperative pain. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, II.

Association between individual DASH tasks and restricted wrist flexion and extension after volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal radius.

BACKGROUND: Symptoms and psychosocial factors are suggested to account for more of the variation in disability than physical impairment, but perhaps less so at the level of specific tasks. This study assessed the influence of impaired wrist motion on specific tasks on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with an operatively treated fracture of the distal radius completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) just before surgery and the DASH questionnaire 3 months after surgery. Nine questions on the DASH were selected as potentially sensitive to changes in wrist motion and evaluated in bivariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: In multivariable models of factors associated with specific tasks, only "Open a tight or new jar" was affected by wrist flexion and PCS accounting for 33 % of the variation. Motion, pain, and PCS were significant predictors of the DASH score. Among the eight tasks not related to wrist motion, 33 % of the variation in disability with writing was accounted for by PCS and limb dominance; 20 % of disability preparing a meal by pain, CES-D, and PCS; 14 % of disability with making a bed by pain and CES-D; and 23 % of changing a light bulb overhead by age, pain, and fracture type. CONCLUSIONS: After volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal radius, upper extremity disability based on select items from the DASH questionnaire correlated minimally with impairment of wrist motion, even at the level of specific tasks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II.

A prospective randomized controlled trial comparing occupational therapy with independent exercises after volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius.

BACKGROUND: The effect of formal occupational therapy on recovery after open reduction and volar plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius is uncertain. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in wrist function and arm-specific disability six months after open reduction and volar plate fixation of a distal radial fracture between patients who receive formal occupational therapy and those with instructions for independent exercises. METHODS: Ninety-four patients with an unstable distal radial fracture treated with open reduction and volar locking plate fixation were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing exercises done under the supervision of an occupational therapist with surgeon-directed independent exercises. The primary study question addressed combined wrist flexion and extension six months after surgery Secondary study questions addressed wrist motion, grip strength, Gartland and Werley scores, Mayo wrist scores, and DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) scores at three months and six months after surgery. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the mean arc of wrist flexion and extension six months after surgery (118° versus 129°), favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. Three months after surgery, there was a significant difference in mean pinch strength (80% versus 90%), mean grip strength (66% versus 81%), and mean Gartland and Werley scores, favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. At six months, there was a significant difference in mean wrist extension (55° versus 62°), ulnar deviation (82% versus 93%), mean supination (84° versus 90°), mean grip strength (81% versus 92%), and mean Mayo score, favoring patients prescribed independent exercises. There were no differences in arm-specific disability (DASH score) at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: Prescription of formal occupational therapy does not improve the average motion or disability score after volar locking plate fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius.

Comparison of intra-articular simple compression and extra-articular distal radial fractures.

BACKGROUND: The impact of a single well-reduced or stable intra-articular fracture oriented in the sagittal plane on the outcome of internal fixation of a distal radial fracture is uncertain. We tested the hypothesis that wrist motion and function scores would not differ between patients with an extra-articular fracture and those with a single sagittal intra-articular fracture following open fracture reduction and internal fixation with use of a volar locking plate. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with a single sagittal intra-articular fracture of the distal aspect of the radius and seventy-four age and sex-matched patients with an extra-articular distal radial fracture were retrospectively analyzed with use of data gathered in a cohort study of plate and screw fixation of distal radial fractures. A volar locking plate was used in all patients. The two cohorts were analyzed for differences in motion, grip strength, pain, and Gartland and Werley, DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand), and SF-36 (Short Form-36) scores six, twelve, and twenty-four months after surgery. Differences between the cohorts and differences within each cohort over time were determined with use of regression analysis and the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: Patients with a single sagittal intra-articular fracture and those an extra-articular fracture did not differ significantly with respect to motion, grip strength, Gartland and Werley score, or DASH score at any time point. However, there was a trend toward less pronation (95% compared with 98% of that in the contralateral arm) and less grip strength (76% compared with 81% of that in the contralateral arm) at six months and toward a smaller flexion-extension arc (118° compared with 128°) at one year after surgery in patients with a single sagittal intra-articular fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Open reduction and volar locking plate and screw fixation of extra-articular fractures and of simple intra-articular fractures of the distal aspect of the radius are associated with comparable impairment and disability within two years of surgery.

Comparison of functional outcome after volar plate fixation with 2.4-mm titanium versus 3.5-mm stainless-steel plate for extra-articular fracture of distal radius.

PURPOSE: Open reduction and locked volar plate and screw fixation is a popular treatment method for extra-articular distal radius fractures with dorsal metaphyseal comminution. In this study, we compared the use of a titanium 2.4-mm precontoured plate with that of a stainless-steel oblique 3.5-mm T-shaped plate to test the null hypothesis that there would be no difference in wrist function or upper extremity-specific health status in the internal fixation of AO-type A3.2 distal radius fractures. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 24 patients treated with a 2.4-mm titanium plate and 38 patients treated with a 3.5-mm stainless-steel plate for an extra-articular and dorsally angulated distal radius fracture, from data gathered in a prospective cohort study of plate and screw fixation of distal radius fractures. The 2 cohorts were analyzed for differences in motion, grip strength, pain, Gartland and Werley score, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score, and Short Form-36 score at 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up. Group differences and their change over time were determined using regression analysis and the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in wrist function and arm-specific health status between patients treated with a 2.4-mm plate and those treated with a 3.5-mm plate at 6, 12, or 24 months of follow-up. However, we observed a trend toward greater wrist flexion at 1 year (66 degrees vs 55 degrees ; p=.07) and greater flexion-extension arc (137 degrees vs 123 degrees ; p=.08) and pronation-supination arc (172 degrees vs 160 degrees ; p=.07) at 24 months after surgery in patients treated with a 2.4-mm plate. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a dorsally angulated extra-articular distal radius facture can expect similar results when treated with either a precontoured 2.4-mm titanium plate or a 3.5-mm stainless-steel T-shaped plate. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic III.

Agreement between Initial Classification and Subsequent Reclassification of Fractures of the Distal Radius in a Prospective Cohort Study.

We tested the hypothesis that the original surgeon-investigator classification of a fracture of the distal radius in a prospective cohort study would have moderate agreement with the final classification by the team performing final analysis of the data. The initial post-injury radiographs of 621 patients with distal radius fractures from a multicenter international prospective cohort study were classified according to the Comprehensive Classification of Fractures, first by the treating surgeon-investigator and then by a research team analyzing the data. Correspondence between original and revised classification was evaluated using the Kappa statistic at the type, group and subgroup levels. The agreement between initial and revised classifications decreased from Type (moderate; Κ(type) = 0.60), to Group (moderate; Κ(group) = 0.41), to Subgroup (fair; Κ(subgroup) = 0.33) classifications (all p < 0.05). There was only moderate agreement in the classification of fractures of the distal radius between surgeon-investigators and final evaluators in a prospective multicenter cohort study. Such variations might influence interpretation and comparability of the data. The lack of a reference standard for classification complicates efforts to lessen variability and improve consensus.

Case reports: volar marginal articular fractures with loss of articular apposition.

Five patients with a volar marginal articular fracture with dislocation (complete loss of apposition of the articular surfaces) were treated with open reduction and internal plate fixation. This is an unusual type of volar shearing fracture and represents the volar type of radiocarpal fracture-dislocation. The results of treatment were comparable to other volar shearing type fractures.

Measurement of ulnar variance on uncalibrated digital radiographic images.

Uncalibrated digital radiographs used in multicenter trials hinder quantitative measures such as articular step and ulnar variance. This investigation tested the reliability of alternative measures of ulnar variance that are scaled to the length of the capitate. A sample of 30 sets of radiographs from patients enrolled in a prospective study of operative treatment of fractures of the distal radius were blinded and randomized. Five observers measured the ulnar variance (UV) and longitudinal length of the capitate (CH) on two separate occasions with greater than 2 weeks between measurements. During each measurement session, the observers made the measurements on both a calibrated and a noncalibrated workstation. The ratio of the ulnar variance to the length of capitate was calculated (UV/CH ratio). Paired t tests were used to compare two rounds of measurements for both methods. Intra- and interobserver reliability was assessed by the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients. The ratios were compared using analysis of variance with a Bonferroni correction. The intraobserver reliability was excellent for each of the three variables (UV, CH, UV/CH ratio) for each workstation. The interobserver reliability of the UV/CH ratios obtained for each workstation was moderate to excellent as judged by the Pearson correlations between observers. The Bland-Altman method indicated a mean difference in UV/CH between calibrated and uncalibrated measurement techniques of 0.002 with limits of agreement of -0.11 to 0.11. Measurements of ulnar variance that are scaled to the length of the capitate may be useful measures of deformity in studies that utilize uncalibrated digital radiographs.

Comparison of AO Type-B and Type-C volar shearing fractures of the distal part of the radius.

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the volar articular margin of the distal part of the radius with volar radiocarpal subluxation (volar shearing, or Barton, fractures) can be accompanied by a fracture of the dorsal metaphyseal cortex. We tested the null hypothesis that there is no difference in wrist function or health status after open reduction and plate-and-screw fixation between volar shearing fractures with a dorsal cortical fracture (complete articular, AO Type C) and those without a dorsal cortical fracture (partial articular, AO Type B). METHODS: In a multicenter cohort study, fifty-seven patients with a volar marginal shearing fracture of the distal part of the radius and volar radiocarpal subluxation were followed for at least one year following plate-and-screw fixation. Thirty-seven patients who also had a dorsal metaphyseal cortical fracture (Type-C fracture) were compared with twenty patients who had a partial articular (Type-B) fracture. The two cohorts were analyzed for differences in wrist and forearm motion, grip strength, pain, and the Gartland and Werley, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores at six, twelve, and twenty-four months postoperatively. Differences in mean values and their change over time were determined. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients with a Type-B fracture and those with a Type-C fracture with respect to motion, grip strength, or the Gartland and Werley or DASH score at any time point. At six months after the surgery, the patients with a Type-B volar shearing fracture reported a mean score for pain in motion of 0.5 point on a 10-point visual analogue scale compared with 2.2 points for patients with a Type-C fracture (difference in means, 1.7 points [95% confidence interval, 0.7 to 2.6 points]; p < 0.001), but no significant difference was seen at twelve or twenty-four months. CONCLUSIONS: Volar shearing fractures are usually complete articular, Type-C injuries. Patients with a Type-C volar shearing fracture experience more pain during early recovery, but ultimately their outcome is comparable with that for patients with a Type-B (partial articular) volar shearing fracture.

Elbow position affects distal radioulnar joint kinematics.

PURPOSE: Previous in vivo and in vitro studies of forearm supination-pronation suggest that distal radioulnar joint kinematics may be affected by elbow flexion. The primary hypotheses tested by this study were that, in vivo, ulnar variance changes with elbow flexion and forearm rotation, and the arc of forearm rotation changes in relationship to elbow flexion. METHODS: Changes in radioulnar kinematics during forearm supination-pronation and elbow flexion (0 degrees to 90 degrees ) were studied in 5 uninjured subjects using computed tomography, dual-orthogonal fluoroscopy, and 3-dimensional modeling. Analysis of variance and post-hoc testing was performed. RESULTS: Proximal translation of the radius was greatest with the elbow flexed to 90 degrees with the arm in midpronation. With the arm in midpronation, the translation of the radius was significantly greater at 0 degrees versus 45 degrees of elbow flexion (0.82 +/- 0.59 mm vs 0.65 +/- 0.80 mm, F: 4.49, post hoc: 0.055; p = .05) and significantly smaller at 45 degrees versus 90 degrees of elbow flexion (0.65 +/- 0.80 mm vs 0.97 +/- 0.35 mm, F: 4.49, post hoc: 0.048; p = .05). Proximal translation of the radius in midpronation was significantly greater than when the forearm was in a supinated position when the elbow was at 0 degrees or 90 degrees flexion (F: 14.90, post hoc: <0.01; p < .01, F: 19.11, post hoc: <0.01, p < .01). The arc of forearm rotation was significantly decreased at 0 degrees compared with 90 degrees of elbow flexion (129.3 degrees +/- 22.2 degrees vs 152.8 degrees +/- 14.4 degrees , F: 3.29, post hoc: 0.79; p = .09). The center of rotation shifted volarly and ulnarly with increasing elbow extension. CONCLUSIONS: Elbow position affects the kinematics of the distal radioulnar joint. The kinematics of the distal radioulnar joint are primarily affected by forearm rotation and secondarily by elbow flexion. These findings have clinical relevance to our understanding of ulnar impaction, and how elbow position affects the proximal-distal translation of the radius. These findings have implications for the treatment of ulna impaction, radiographic evaluation of the distal ulna, and future biomechanical studies.

Effect of an unrepaired fracture of the ulnar styloid base on outcome after plate-and-screw fixation of a distal radial fracture.

BACKGROUND: The impact of an unrepaired fracture of the ulnar styloid base on recovery after internal fixation of a fracture of the distal part of the radius is uncertain. We evaluated a series of patients with an internally fixed fracture of the distal part of the radius to test the hypothesis that there is no difference in wrist motion or function scores between those with an untreated fracture of the ulnar styloid base and those with no ulnar fracture. METHODS: Two cohorts of seventy-six matched patients, one with a fracture of the ulnar styloid base and the other with no ulnar fracture, were retrospectively analyzed by examining data gathered in a prospective study of plate-and-screw fixation of distal radial fractures. Patients were matched for age, sex, AO fracture type, and injury mechanism. The two cohorts were analyzed for differences in motion, grip strength, pain, the Gartland and Werley score, the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) score, and the SF-36 (Short Form-36) score at six, twelve, and twenty-four months postoperatively. In a second analysis, sixty-four patients with <2 mm of displacement of a fracture of the ulnar styloid base were compared with forty-nine patients with greater displacement. Differences between cohorts and within cohorts over time were determined with use of regression analysis and the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between patients with an unrepaired fracture of the ulnar styloid base and those with no ulnar fracture at any of the follow-up intervals. However, a trend was observed toward less grip strength at six months (71% [of that on the contralateral side] compared with 79%; mean difference, -8% [95% confidence interval=-15.3% to -0.6%]; p=0.03) and less flexion (54 degrees compared with 59 degrees ; mean difference, -5 degrees [95% confidence interval=-11.7 degrees to -0.8 degrees ]; p=0.02) and ulnar deviation (32 degrees compared with 36 degrees ; mean difference, -4 degrees [95% confidence interval=-7 degrees to -0.1 degrees ]; p=0.05) at twenty-four months after surgery in patients with an untreated fracture of the ulnar styloid base. There were no significant differences with regard to any tested outcome measure between the patients with >or=2 mm of displacement of an unrepaired fracture of the ulnar styloid base and those with less displacement. CONCLUSIONS: An unrepaired fracture of the base of the ulnar styloid does not appear to influence function or outcome after treatment of a distal radial fracture with plate-and-screw fixation, even when the ulnar fracture was initially displaced >or=2 mm.

Psychological differences between patients that elect operative or nonoperative treatment for trapeziometacarpal joint arthrosis.

Among 44 consecutive patients electing operative treatment of trapeziometacarpal arthrosis, three age- and gender-matched controls that presented during the same time period but had not yet requested operative treatment were selected from billing records. Each patient and control was mailed a survey that included an upper extremity-specific health status measure (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire; DASH) and a set of questionnaires evaluating psychological factors including the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Center for the Epidemiological Study of Depression (CES-D) instrument. Seventy-two patients (45%; 31 that elected operative and 41 nonoperative care) returned a completed questionnaire with usable data. Older age was the only significant predictor of choice for nonoperative treatment among survey responders. Arm-specific disability (DASH) correlated with the CES-D, PASS, and PCS scores, and the influence of radiographic severity was near significant (p = 0.06). Stepwise multiple linear regression resulted in a model including the CES-D and PCS scores and accounting for 51% of the variability in DASH scores for patients from both cohorts. For both the operative and nonoperative cohorts, a model including CES-D alone accounted for 50% of the variability in DASH scores (p < 0.01). This study suggests that depression, pain anxiety, and pain catastrophizing are strong correlates of arm-specific disability but do not predict election of operative treatment in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthrosis.

Perilunate fracture-dislocations of the wrist: comparison of temporary screw versus K-wire fixation.

PURPOSE: Temporary intercarpal screw fixation has been suggested as an alternative to temporary K-wire fixation in the treatment of perilunate wrist dislocations. We compared the 2 treatment methods in 2 retrospective cohorts with a null hypothesis that there would be no difference in final wrist motion. METHODS: Eighteen patients with surgically treated perilunate wrist dislocations (9 treated with intercarpal screws, 9 with intercarpal K-wires) were evaluated an average of 44 months after injury. The intercarpal screws were removed an average of 5 months and the K-wires an average of 3 months after the initial procedure. Complications included 3 pin track infections (1 with wrist sepsis), 2 scaphoid nonunions (screw fixation), and 2 patients with loss of reduction (K-wire fixation) treated with repeat surgery. RESULTS: Four patients (2 in each cohort) had wrist arthrodesis with poor results. Among the 14 remaining patients the final flexion arc was 97 degrees for patients treated with screw fixation compared with 73 degrees for patients treated with K-wires. The mean grip strength was 74% (screw fixation) and 67% (K-wire) that of the uninjured arm. According to the Mayo Modified Wrist Score, the functional result was excellent in 1 patient (screw), good in 2 patients (1 each group), fair in 6 patients (3 in each group), and poor in 9 patients (4 screws, 5 K-wire). Seven patients (2 screws, 5 K-wires) had grade 2 or 3 midcarpal arthritis according to the criteria of Knirk and Jupiter, but none had more than mild radiocarpal arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: The results of treatment with temporary screws are comparable to the results of treatment with temporary K-wires. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic III.