Arthroscopy-assisted Procedures in Hand and Wrist Surgery: An Update. Where Are We So Far?

Wrist and hand arthroscopy, despite being an old tool, has gained popularity and advanced in assisting in the treatment of various injuries and conditions in the region in recent years. Dorsal, volar, ulnar, and radial accessory portals are used to reach all points of the carpal and hand joints. The minimal tissue damage, lesser injury to the capsule and its mechanoreceptors, the assessment of injuries associated with the reason for surgery, and aesthetically more favorable scars have attracted many doctors and their patients. As a result, there has been an increase in publications and diversifications of arthroscopic techniques. The aim of this update article is to present the advances and the evidence available in the literature to assist readers in their decision on which technique to use in the treatment of wrist and hand conditions.

Reconstruction of congenital pseudarthrosis of the radius with a vascularized tibial periosteal transplant: A case report.

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the forearm poses a considerable challenge because of its rarity. The objective of this report is to introduce a novel surgical technique for its treatment. Here, we document a case of congenital pseudarthrosis of the radius in a 3-year-old boy diagnosed with type-1 neurofibromatosis. The surgical treatment involved the excision of approximately 9 cm of native radial periosteum and a bifocal radius osteotomy, which was supplemented with a vascularized tibial periosteal transplant to facilitate bone healing. Anastomosis between the anterior tibial vessels and radial vessels was performed. No immediate or late postoperative complications were observed. After 3 weeks, a robust callus formation was observed, and during a follow-up examination 3 years and 4 months later, a wide range of active forearm rotation was noted. This report suggests that vascularized periosteal flaps show promise as a viable treatment option for congenital pseudarthrosis of the forearm. They offer an alternative to vascularized fibular grafts or single-bone forearm constructs.

Use of the Triquetrum-Hamate Portal in Four-Corner Wrist Fusion: A Useful Technical Trick.

Arthroscopy-assisted partial wrist-fusion techniques are becoming more popular nowadays. It became clearer that avoiding the violation of important ligament and tendinous structures - which is impossible when using the classic open techniques - enables a more biological approach, which is essential for faster healing and improvement in function. We describe the use of the triquetrum-hamate (TH) portal, which is seldomly applied in routine arthroscopic techniques for hand and wrist surgery, as an accessory portal to better perform anterior midcarpal debridement in four-corner fusion. This trick enables an almost complete anterior resection of the capitate and hamate chondral surfaces, increasing the subchondral osseous contact in the midcarpal joint after fixation, thus leading to higher consolidation rates.

Use of the Triquetrum-Hamate Portal in FourCorner Wrist Fusion: A Useful Technical Trick / Uso do portal piramidal-hamato na fusão de punho de quatro cantos: Um bom truque técnico

Abstract Arthroscopy-assisted partial wrist-fusion techniques are becoming more popular nowadays. It became clearer that avoiding the violation of important ligament and tendinous structures - which is impossible when using the classic open techniques - enables a more biological approach, which is essential for faster healing and improvement in function. We describe the use of the triquetrum-hamate (TH) portal, which is seldomly applied in routine arthroscopic techniques for hand and wrist surgery, as an accessory portal to better perform anterior midcarpal debridement in four-corner fusion. This trick enables an almost complete anterior resection of the capitate and hamate chondral surfaces, increasing the subchondral osseous contact in the midcarpal joint after fixation, thus leading to higher consolidation rates.

Resumo As técnicas de fusão parcial do punho assistidas por artroscopia estão se tornando mais populares. Ficou claro que evitar a violação de importantes estruturas ligamentares e tendíneas, o que é imposssível com as técnicas abertas clássicas, permite uma abordagem mais biológica, essencial para a cicatrização mais rápida e melhora da função. Descrevemos o uso do portal piramidal-hamato (PH), raramente aplicado em técnicas artroscópicas de rotina para cirurgia de mão e punho, como portal acessório para melhor execução do desbridamento carpal medial anterior na fusão de quatro cantos. Esse truque possibilita a ressecção anterior quase completa das superfícies condrais do capitato e do hamato, o que aumenta o contato ósseo subcondral na articulação mesocárpica após a fixação e eleva as taxas de consolidação.

Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects of Cleft Hand: Case Series From a Tertiary Public Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Cleft hand is a rare and congenital deformity that affects hands and feet and can be associated with other malformations. The objective was to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical aspects of cleft hand patient in a case series. Methods: Baseline characteristics associated with this deformity, such as sociodemographic characteristics, affected upper limb side, family history, clinical manifestations, and the degree of deficiency according to Barsky, Manske and Halikis, and Valenti classifications, were analyzed in 38 patients treated in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Brazil. Results: A predominance of typical hands as classified by Barsky, types II and IV by Manske and Halikis, and type IV by Valenti was found. A high frequency of typical cases (55.3%), as defined by Barsky, had a positive family history (P = .031) and were associated with other clinical manifestations (44.7%), when compared with atypical cleft hand patients (P < .001). Conclusion: In our study, there were more typical cleft hands than atypical, and they were more commonly associated with family history and other clinical manifestations.

FREQUENCY OF WRIST GROWTH PLATE INJURY IN YOUNG GYMNASTS AT A TRAINING CENTER

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the frequency of physeal injuries and wrist pain in young competitive gymnasts according to their training characteristics . Methods: This is a cross-sectional study (January-June 2015) of a male gymnastics team in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Nineteen gymnasts, mean age 13.3 years, were evaluated in three ways: a questionnaire, physical examination and radiographs . Results: On average, they trained since 6 years-old and during hours per week. Eighty-two percent had wrist pain and 65% had wrist physeal injury. The pain was worse in practitioners of (82%) and soil (17%) exercises. A greater frequency of physeal injury was found in those with more years of training and higher weekly working hours, wrist pain was more frequent in those with higher weekly working hours, and a decreased range of motion was observed in those with physeal injury, results statistically significant . Conclusions: We found that 65% of gymnasts had wrist physeal injury and 82% had wrist pain. There were statistically significant relationships between physeal injury and years of training, physeal injury and weekly working hours, pain and weekly working hours, and physeal injury and range of motion. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Computed tomography's influence on the classifications and treatment of the distal radius fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Distal radius fractures are common in emergency centers. The radiographic routine includes at least two radiographic projections used for diagnosing most of these fractures. Computed tomography (CT) is indicated for evaluating complex fractures that affect the articular surface, as well as the fragments' size and position. There are not enough comparative studies on choosing classification and treatment by means of the four radiographic projections and computed tomography (CT) and the association of these with the levels of expertise. METHODS: We conducted a randomized cross-sectional study by observing images from 61 patients with distal radius fractures organized in two phases: the first phase comprising radiographic images alone and the second one with those same images associated with tomograms. Seventeen evaluators with different levels of training and expertise classified the fractures according to the AO and Universal classification systems and proposed treatment guidelines. RESULTS: The agreement between the AO and Universal classification ratings was poor (worse for the former), with smaller Fleiss' kappa resulting from data obtained by orthopedics residents and non-specialist orthopedists. CT influenced the classification choice, with a higher change frequency for more complex patterns in the AO classification system and intra-articular and irreducible fractures in the Universal classification system, especially in the group comprised of orthopedic residents and orthopedic physicians. CT did not influence the treatment choice made by the group comprised of hand surgery residents and hand surgeons. CONCLUSION: The less experienced in hand surgery the observer was, the more important computed tomography was for determining the fracture pattern.

Qual a melhor incidência radiográfica para avaliar o desvio das fraturas tipo die-punch? Estudo em cadáver / What is the best radiographic view for "die punch" distal radius fractures? A cadaver model study

OBJETIVO: Avaliar qual a melhor incidência radiográfica para diagnosticar os desvios da fratura tipo die-punch da extremidade distal do rádio. MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se um rádio do Banco de Tecidos Salvador Arena. Após limpeza e retirada de partes moles, realizou-se osteotomia da região dorsoulnar da superfície articular com microsserra, osteótomo e martelo. Fixou-se o fragmento distal com fita adesiva, nos degraus articulares de 1, 2, 3 e 5mm. A peça foi submetida a radiografias nas incidências frente, perfil, oblíqua semipronada, oblíqua semissupinada e tangencial (75º com o plano da mesa). Em uma segunda etapa, avaliou-se o desvio da fratura em cada radiografia, com auxílio do software AutoCAD 2010®. RESULTADOS: A incidência tangencial foi a melhor para identificar os desvios de 1 e 3mm e a segunda melhor nos desvios de 2 e 5mm. No desvio de 2mm a melhor incidência foi a oblíqua semipronada e no de 5mm a oblíqua semissupinada, sendo que não se consegue identificar os desvios de 1 e 2mm na oblíqua semissupinada. CONCLUSÃO: A incidência tangencial foi superior na avaliação do degrau articular de 1mm e 3mm e a segunda melhor quando houve degrau de 2mm e 5mm.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study is try to show the best view for distal radius fractures so called die-punch fractures. METHODS: There has been used a human cadaver radius bone from the Salvador Arena Tissue Bank. This bone was cleaned up after removing the soft tissues and osteotomies created displaced lunate fossa fractures of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 mm. We have fixed this fragment with adhesive tape. Then the joint deviation were significantly increased with step-offs of 1 mm. Radiographs were then taken into 5 different positions: postero-anterior view, lateral view, oblique views and tangencial view for each of the deviations. The resulting lunate fossa depression in each X-ray film was analyzed by the AutoCAD 2010® software. RESULTS: The tangencial view was the best one to see the 1mm and 3mm bone degrees and the second one view to see the 2mm and 5 mm degrees. The pronated oblique view was the best to see the 2mm degrees and the oblique supinated view wasn't able to see the degrees between 1 and 2mm. CONCLUSION: The tangencial view was the best one to see the 1mm and 3mm bone degrees and the second one view to see the 2mm and 5 mm degrees.

WHAT IS THE BEST RADIOGRAPHIC VIEW FOR "DIE PUNCH" DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURES? A CADAVER MODEL STUDY.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study is try to show the best view for distal radius fractures so called die-punch fractures. METHODS: There has been used a human cadaver radius bone from the Salvador Arena Tissue Bank. This bone was cleaned up after removing the soft tissues and osteotomies created displaced lunate fossa fractures of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 mm. We have fixed this fragment with adhesive tape. Then the joint deviation were significantly increased with step-offs of 1 mm. Radiographs were then taken into 5 different positions: postero-anterior view, lateral view, oblique views and tangencial view for each of the deviations. The resulting lunate fossa depression in each X-ray film was analyzed by the AutoCAD 2010® software. RESULTS: The tangencial view was the best one to see the 1mm and 3mm bone degrees and the second one view to see the 2mm and 5 mm degrees. The pronated oblique view was the best to see the 2mm degrees and the oblique supinated view wasn't able to see the degrees between 1 and 2mm. CONCLUSION: The tangencial view was the best one to see the 1mm and 3mm bone degrees and the second one view to see the 2mm and 5 mm degrees.

Ouabain-induced hypertension enhances left ventricular contractility in rats.

Chronic ouabain treatment produces hypertension acting on the central nervous system and at vascular levels. However, cardiac effects in this model of hypertension are still poorly understood. Hence, the effects of hypertension induced by chronic ouabain administration ( approximately 8 microg day(-1), s.c.) for 5 weeks on the cardiac function were studied in Wistar rats. Ouabain induces hypertension but not myocardial hypertrophy. Awake ouabain-treated rats present an increment of the left ventricular systolic pressure and of the maximum positive and negative dP/dt. Isolated papillary muscles from ouabain-treated rats present an increment in isometric force, and this effect was present even when inotropic interventions (external Ca(2+) increment and increased heart rate) were performed. However, the sarcoplasmic reticulum activity and the SERCA-2 protein expression did not change. On the other hand, the activity of myosin ATPase increased without changes in myosin heavy chain protein expression. In addition, the expression of alpha(1) and alpha(2) isoforms of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase also increased in the left ventricle from ouabain-hypertensive rats. The present results showed positive inotropic and lusitropic effects in hearts from awake ouabain-treated rats, which are associated with an increment of the isometric force development and of the activity of myosin ATPase and expression of catalytic subunits of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase.