Prospective Cohort Study Comparing Ligament Reconstruction with Tendon Interposition and Suture-Only Suspension Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Basal joint arthritis is a common form of osteoarthritis. There is no consensus procedure for maintenance of trapezial height following trapeziectomy. Suture-only suspension arthroplasty (SSA) is a simple method for stabilizing the thumb metacarpal following trapeziectomy. METHODS: This single-institution, prospective, cohort study compares trapeziectomy followed by either ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition (LRTI) or SSA for the treatment of basal joint arthritis. Patients underwent LRTI or SSA from May of 2018 to December of 2019. Visual analogue scale pain scores; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire functional scores; clinical thumb range of motion, pinch, and grip strength data; and patient-reported outcomes were recorded and analyzed preoperatively and at 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Total number of study participants was 45 (LRTI, n = 26; SSA, n = 19). Mean ± SE age was 62.4 ± 1.5 years; 71% were female patients; and 51% underwent surgery on the dominant side. Visual analogue scale scores improved for LRTI and SSA ( P < 0.0001) over 6 months, with no differences between groups at any time point ( P > 0.3). Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire scores improved for LRTI and SSA over 6 months ( P < 0.0001), with no differences between groups at any time point ( P > 0.3). Following SSA, opposition improved ( P = 0.02), but not as well for LRTI ( P = 0.16). Grip and pinch strength decreased following LRTI and SSA at 6 weeks but recovered similarly for both groups over 6 months. Patient-reported outcomes were generally no different between groups at all time points. CONCLUSION: LRTI and SSA are similar procedures following trapeziectomy relative to pain, function, and strength recovery. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, II.

Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Silicone Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis: Midterm Outcomes.

Background: Osteoarthritis of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint affects a large percentage of the population and can lead to significant functional disability. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the midterm clinical effectiveness of PIP joint arthroplasty for nonrheumatic arthritis. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study evaluating preoperative and postoperative objective and subjective measures was conducted. Range of motion (ROM), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores, key pinch strength, grip strength, and satisfaction with respect to pain, deformity, function, and strength were measured. Results: Forty-five fingers in 25 patients were followed up for a mean period of 42 months. Preoperative and postoperative mean ROM was equivalent at 59.1° and 59.2°, respectively. Postoperative grip and key pinch strength showed significant improvement and near normalization compared with contralateral extremity. Complication rate was 37% with 20% requiring revision surgery. Patients with diabetes mellitus had higher odds of requiring revision surgery. Pain scores improved from 7.4 to 1.9 on a visual analog scale. Overall satisfaction was high at 84%, and 91% of patients would have the surgery performed again. Conclusions: Silicone arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the PIP remains a good option for pain relief. Our study presents midterm follow-up data that support significant pain relief, increased grip and key pinch strength, and high satisfaction associated with this implant.

Safety of Outpatient Shoulder Surgery at a Freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center in Patients Aged 65 Years and Older: A Review of 640 Cases.

INTRODUCTION: With increasing utilization of surgery centers, it is important to demonstrate the safety of outpatient shoulder surgery in freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. No studies have specifically looked at the Medicare-age population and the rate of outpatient shoulder procedure complications in these patients at an ambulatory surgery center. METHODS: Six hundred forty patients were included in our study between 2000 and 2015. The incidence of major complications was identified, including acute infection requiring intravenous antibiotics or irrigation and débridement, postoperative transfer to a hospital, wrong-site surgical procedures, retention of a foreign object, postoperative symptomatic thromboembolism, medication errors, and bleeding/wound complications. RESULTS: There was a total of seven occurrence reports in seven patients, for a reported adverse event rate of 1.01%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with currently reported outpatient hospital-based data and illustrate the safety of outpatient shoulder procedures at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center in Medicare-age patients.

The Safety of Hand and Upper-Extremity Surgical Procedures at a Freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center: A Review of 28,737 Cases.

BACKGROUND: More procedures are being completed on an outpatient basis at freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. The purpose of our study was to determine the safety and rate of adverse events in outpatient hand and upper-extremity surgical procedures. METHODS: A retrospective review of cases at a single, freestanding ambulatory surgery center over an eleven-year period was performed. In our analysis, 28,737 cases were performed and were included. Adverse events were defined as serious complications causing harm to a patient or leading to additional treatment. Using state-reportable adverse events criteria as a guideline, we divided the adverse events into seven categories: infection requiring intravenous antibiotics or return to the operating room, postoperative transfer to a hospital, wrong-site surgical procedure, retention of a foreign object, postoperative symptomatic thromboembolism, medication error, and bleeding complications. These adverse events were then analyzed to determine if they led to additional laboratory testing, hospital admission, return to the operating room, emergency department visits, or physical or mental permanent disability. RESULTS: There were fifty-eight reported adverse events, for an overall rate of 0.20%. There were no deaths. There were fourteen infections, eighteen postoperative transfers to a hospital, twenty-one hospital admissions after discharge, one medication error, and four postoperative hematomas. There were no cases of wrong-site surgical procedures or retained foreign bodies. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that, with a selected patient population, a very low adverse event rate (0.20%) can be achieved. Our review showing few adverse events, no deaths, and no wrong-site surgical procedures supports our view that hand and upper-extremity surgical procedures can be completed safely in the outpatient setting at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Midcarpal and Scaphotrapeziotrapezoid Arthritis in Patients with Carpometacarpal Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Carpometacarpal arthroplasty provides well-documented pain relief with preservation of thenar function in basal joint arthritis treatment. Nevertheless, some patients continue to have pain following surgery. The authors hypothesize that unrecognized midcarpal (capitolunate) arthritis is a contributor to persistent pain after carpometacarpal arthroplasty. The prevalence of midcarpal arthritis in patients with basal joint arthritis is unknown. This article establishes the radiographic prevalence of midcarpal arthritis in patients with carpometacarpal arthritis. METHODS: Patients with basal joint arthritis were identified from a search using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 716.94. Hand radiographs were reviewed and graded using the Eaton classification and Sodha classification for carpometacarpal arthritis. Scaphotrapeziotrapezoid arthritis and midcarpal arthritis were graded using the Sodha classification for arthritis as follows: grade 1, no or nearly no arthrosis; grade 2, definite arthrosis but not severe; and grade 3, severe arthrosis. RESULTS: Eight hundred ninety-six radiographs were reviewed. The prevalence of scaphotrapeziotrapezoid arthritis in this population was 64 percent. The prevalence of midcarpal arthritis in this population was 23.5 percent. The prevalence of midcarpal arthritis in patients with radiologic evidence of carpometacarpal arthritis was 25.4 percent. The prevalence of severe midcarpal arthritis was 7 percent. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of midcarpal arthritis in patients with basal joint arthritis is 24 percent. The presence of two locations of arthritis may explain persistent hand and wrist pain in this population despite carpometacarpal arthroplasty. Clinically, these data will allow hand surgeons to better educate patients with basal joint arthritis regarding the possibility of incomplete pain relief following carpometacarpal arthroplasty.

Patient perception of physician reimbursement for common hand surgical procedures.

Health care-related costs have been the focus of intense scrutiny in politics and in the media. However, public perception of physician reimbursement is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine patient perception of physician reimbursement for 2 common hand surgery procedures: carpal tunnel release and open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture. Anonymous surveys were completed by 132 patients in an outpatient hand and upper-extremity practice. The surveys asked patients to estimate reasonable surgeon fees and actual Medicare reimbursement for 2 common hand surgery procedures (carpal tunnel release and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture) and 2 common surgical procedures (coronary artery bypass and appendectomy). On average, patients estimated that a reasonable surgeon fee for carpal tunnel release and 90 days of postoperative care was $2629 and that actual Medicare reimbursement was $1891. Patients estimated that a reasonable surgeon fee for internal fixation of an extra-articular distal radius fracture and 90 days of postoperative care was $3874 and that actual Medicare reimbursement was $2671. Higher level of education, annual household income, and insurance status had no statistically significant effect on patient estimates of reimbursement. Patients in an outpatient hand and upper extremity practice believe that surgeons are reimbursed at a rate 3.6 to 4.7 times greater than actual reimbursement. These misperceptions highlight the lack of understanding and transparency in health care costs and may interfere with the ability of patients to make well-informed decisions about health care.

Assessing the impact of antibiotic prophylaxis in outpatient elective hand surgery: a single-center, retrospective review of 8,850 cases.

PURPOSE: Prophylactic antibiotics have been shown to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) after some gastrointestinal, orthopedic, and plastic surgical procedures, but their efficacy in clean, elective hand surgery is unclear. Our aims were to assess the efficacy of preoperative antibiotics in preventing SSI after clean, elective hand surgery, and to identify potential risk factors for SSI. METHODS: We queried the database from an outpatient surgical center by Current Procedural Terminology code to identify patients who underwent elective hand surgery. For each medical record, we collected patient demographics and characteristics along with preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative management details. The primary outcome of this study was SSI, and secondary outcomes were wound dehiscence and suture granuloma. RESULTS: From October 2000 through October 2008, 8,850 patient records met our inclusion criteria. The overall SSI rate was 0.35%, with an average patient follow-up duration of 79 days. The SSI rates did not significantly differ between patients receiving antibiotics (0.54%; 2,755 patients) and those who did not (0.26%; 6,095 patients). Surgical site infection was associated with smoking status, diabetes mellitus, and longer procedure length irrespective of antibiotic use. Subgroup analysis revealed that prophylactic antibiotics did not prevent SSI in male patients, smokers, or diabetics, or for procedure length less than 30 minutes, 30 to 60 minutes, and greater than 60 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic antibiotic administration does not reduce the incidence of SSI after clean, elective hand surgery in an outpatient population. Moreover, subgroup analysis revealed that prophylactic antibiotics did not reduce the frequency of SSI among patients who were found to be at higher risk in this study. We identified 3 factors associated with the development of SSI in our study: diabetes mellitus status, procedure length, and smoking status. Given the potential harmful complications associated with antibiotic use and the lack of evidence that prophylactic antibiotics prevent SSIs, we conclude that antibiotics should not be routinely administered to patients who undergo clean, elective hand surgery. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic III.

Recalcitrant trigger finger managed with flexor digitorum superficialis resection.

Although trigger finger is a condition commonly treated by orthopedic surgeons, we have not found sufficient studies in the literature addressing the treatment of trigger finger that persists following A1 pulley release. We identified 12 fingers in 11 patients with symptoms of trigger finger following A1 pulley release who subsequently underwent resection of 1 or both slips of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon. Ten patients (11 fingers) presented for follow-up at a mean of 21 months after surgery. All patients had resolution of their symptoms with a mean visual analog score of 1.5 and a mean DASH score of 17. Grip and pinch strength were comparable to the contralateral side. Mean total active range of motion of the affected digit was 252°. Resection of 1 or both slips of the flexor digitorum superficialis is an effective method for treatment of recalcitrant trigger finger.

Outcome of surgery for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): effect of worker's compensation.

We retrospectively compared the results of extensor origin release for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) against worker's compensation (WC) status. All patients (N = 57) underwent extensor origin release between October 1989 and June 1998. For the 33 patients (37 elbows) who received WC, mean follow-up was 55 months; for the 25 patients (26 elbows) who did not receive WC, mean follow-up was 45 months. Pain relief, symptom recurrence, satisfaction with procedure outcome, and ability to return to work (same or similar job) were evaluated. Pain relief was reliably achieved in the WC and non-WC groups (36/37 and 24/26 elbows, respectively). Symptom recurrence was intermittent in both groups, and few patients sought medical intervention for recurrent symptoms. Patient satisfaction was high in the WC and non-WC groups (35/37 and 26/26 elbows, respectively). A majority of patients in both groups returned to work, but a significantly higher percentage of patients in the WC group changed jobs because of persistent symptoms.