Identifying anatomic landmarks and median nerve characteristics for the analysis of persistent carpal tunnel syndrome using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

OBJECTIVE: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve entrapment neuropathy in the USA. In this study, we define anatomical landmarks to assess symptomatic and asymptomatic cohorts with persistent CTS using MRI imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Distal vs proximal incomplete release was determined using the distal most aspect of the hook of hamate and the distal wrist crease. An incomplete release showed the transverse carpal ligament (TCL) intact at either boundary. Twenty-one patients with persistent CTS were analyzed for incomplete release, median nerve enlargement and T2 signal hyperintensity, and flattening ratio using postoperative wrist MRI. These findings were compared to a ten-patient asymptomatic persistent CTS control group. Fisher's exact and a Student's two-tailed t-tests were used to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: In the symptomatic persistent CTS group, 13 (61.9%) incomplete releases were identified, 5 (38.5%) incomplete distally, and 1 (7.7%) incomplete proximally. There was no statistical significance in the rate of incomplete releases when compared to the asymptomatic group (p = 1.00). T2 signal hyperintensity and enlargement at the site of release showed no statistical significance, (p = 0.319 and p = 0.999, respectively). The mean flattening ratio at the site of release in the symptomatic group (2.45 ± 0.7) was statistically significant compared to the asymptomatic group (1.48 ± 0.46), (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Utilizing the established landmarks, the full length of the TCL can be assessed via MRI. Additionally, evaluation of the median nerve flattening ratio at the level of the incomplete release may be utilized as an aid to the clinical management of persistent CTS.

The Impact of the City of Miami's Decision to Revoke Electric Scooter Company Permits on Orthopedic Trauma at a Level I Trauma Center.

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of electric-scooter (e-scooter) mobile applications, there has been a marked increase in e-scooter-related injury. On January 19, 2022, the City of Miami revoked permits to five major mobile applications for violation of safety protocols. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to assess the effects of this notice on the orthopedic patients seen at our corresponding Level I trauma center. METHODS: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study. A retrospective chart review was performed including all patients with orthopedic injuries at our Level I trauma center between July 19, 2021 and July 19, 2022. These dates include 6 months prior to and after the major e-scooter operators ceased use in Miami. SPSS statistical software version 28.0.0 (SPSS, IBM, Armonk, NY) was utilized for all statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 2558 patients in the prenotice cohort, and 2492 patients in the postnotice cohort. After the notice, there was a significant decrease in the number of patients that presented to our institution due to injuries caused by e-scooters (2.8% vs. 1.8% patients; p = 0.021). Patients with injuries caused by e-scooters had a significantly lower age (38 vs. 42, respectively; p = 0.034) and were more likely to be male (79.3% vs. 67.4% male, respectively; p = 0.007) than patients with other orthopedic injuries. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the 2022 notice revoking the major mobile application operators from the City of Miami resulted in a significant decrease in the number of orthopedic cases due to e-scooter-related injury at the corresponding Level I trauma center.

Suture Materials, Needles, and Methods of Skin Closure: What Every Hand Surgeon Should Know.

Sutures are used ubiquitously in surgery and are the most implanted materials in hand surgery. However, surgical training does not routinely include formal education on stitching materials or needles. Rather, suture familiarity is passed down by common use throughout training. We focus on a brief history and evolution of suture materials and suture needles, their material and mechanical properties, hand surgery-specific applications, other methods of skin closure (staples, skin glue, and adhesive strips), a cost analysis, and advances in musculoskeletal suturing, with a look toward the future. Equipped with a fundamental knowledge of suture needles and suture materials, hand surgeons will be better prepared to select the most appropriate, situation-specific tools.

Mycobacterium bolletii Osteomyelitis of the Metaphyseal Distal Radius Treated With Amikacin Antibiotic Beads.

Mycobacterium bollettii, a subset of the group M. abscessus, is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium that was first characterized in the early 2000s. We report a case of M. bollettii infection in an otherwise healthy 49-year-old man who sustained an open fracture of the right distal radius. After his initial surgery, the patient presented 1 month later with wound drainage requiring hardware removal and was treated with intravenous antibiotics. However, there was a persistent infection. We treated his osteomyelitis with debridement and placement of amikacin antibiotic beads. We selected this particularly uncommon antibiotic cement specifically to address the nontuberculous mycobacterium. The purpose of this report is to alert treating providers to the possibility of nontuberculous mycobacterium infections when an inflammatory process persists and to provide guidelines for the use of amikacin solution to produce antibiotic beads.

Does radial head implant fixation affect functional outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radial head arthroplasty is used in the treatment of nonreconstructible radial head fractures. Although traditional implants have been loosely fixed, smooth stemmed implants functioning more as spacers, modern designs have introduced press-fit, tapered implants that articulate at the capitellum with more rigidly maintained congruity. Cemented implants also use rigid initial fixation. This study was conducted to help determine which fixation method results in better functional outcomes: "fixed" or "unfixed." METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was used. We identified 63 articles via 3 databases. Ten non-English or articles with insufficient text were excluded, and 17 others did not contain sufficient data or follow-up. The remaining 36 articles were qualitatively and quantitatively reviewed. RESULTS: We identified 36 populations, with 878 unduplicated patients: 522 fixed and 356 unfixed. Respectively, mean follow-up in months was 46.2 and 37.4. Average Mayo Elbow Performance Scores were 85.9 and 88.2 (P = .08). Average Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores were 17.1 and 18.7 (P = .47). Average final flexion/extension arcs were 119.1° and 115.8° (P = .08). Revision rates were 7.9% and 3.1%, and complication rates were 25.5% and 13.2%. Relative risks of revision and complications for the fixed cohort were 2.48 (P = .006) and 1.88 (P < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Implant fixation type does not appear to affect functional outcomes of radial head arthroplasty. However, rigidly fixing the implant may increase the risks of revision and complications.

Dorsal Plate Fixation for Distal Interphalangeal Joint Arthrodesis of the Fingers and Thumb.

Arthrodesis is generally the most accepted surgical option for treatment of degenerative and traumatic conditions involving the distal interphalangeal joint of the fingers or the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Ideal position of arthrodesis is thought to be slightly flexed to improve power, fine pinch, and grip. Different techniques have been described for distal finger joint arthrodesis, with most surgeons using straight intramedullary implants that obligate the joint to be positioned in neutral extension. In this article, we describe the operative technique to perform a distal finger joint arthrodesis in slight flexion using dorsal plate fixation. We also discuss a case of a patient with distal finger joint arthrodesis.

Machete injuries to the upper extremity.

PURPOSE: We intend to describe and analyze the spectrum of upper extremity injuries that arises from both accidental and intentional machete injuries with a focus on associated complications and comorbidities. This review is the first from a United States institution, and the only from a designated level 1 trauma center. METHODS: A retrospective review of machete related upper extremity injuries admitted to a level 1 trauma center from 2008 to 2016. The following data was collected on admitted patients: demographics, mechanism of injury, surgical management, and complications. We assessed the data with Pearson Chi square analysis. RESULTS: This cohort consisted of 48 patients (mean = 42 ± 13 years old); the majority were men (96%) involved in an assault (81%). These patients had a high rate of documented psychiatric history, substance and tobacco abuse, and being underinsured. Patient follow-up was extremely variable: 75% of patients presented for follow-up care (mean = 149 ± 344 days; range 8-1846 days). 44% had complications (i.e., infection, tendon rupture, nerve palsy). We identified no associations when examining follow-up rates or complication rates regarding patient comorbidities, insurance status, mechanism of injury, or the need for a nerve, artery, or tendon repair. Patients with current tobacco use did have an increased risk for infection. The majority (52%) of injuries occurred on the ulnar side of the forearm and to the non-dominant extremity (66%). Patients assaulted by machetes are significantly more likely to have a history of psychiatric illness, substance abuse, tobacco use, and are more likely to be underinsured compared to those with accidental machete injuries. CONCLUSIONS: While machete injuries may be uncommon in most areas of the United States, physicians should give special attention to the patient comorbidities as many of these patients have complex medical and social issues which could complicate attempts of appropriate treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV; Prognostic Study.

Scaphoid Plate Fixation and Volar Carpal Artery Vascularized Bone Graft for Recalcitrant Scaphoid Nonunions.

PURPOSE: We sought to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes after treatment of symptomatic, recalcitrant scaphoid nonunions using a novel combination of volar scaphoid buttress plating with a pedicled vascularized bone graft. METHODS: We retrospectively followed 9 patients with recalcitrant scaphoid waist nonunions, characterized by failed prior surgery, long duration of nonunion, avascular necrosis of the proximal pole, or considerable bone loss at the nonunion site. We treated these persistent nonunions through a single volar incision with a pedicled vascularized bone graft, based on the volar carpal artery, and a 1.5-mm precontoured, scaphoid-specific, volar buttress plate. Postoperatively, we assessed objective and subjective outcomes as well as radiographs and computed tomography scans. RESULTS: The median duration of nonunion was 15 months, ranging from 6 to 96 months. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 11 to 19 months. Computed tomography scans demonstrated union in 8 of 9 cases. Complications included 1 minor hematoma that spontaneously resolved. One scaphoid failed to unite, requiring revision surgery. Three patients experienced problems with the plate. One plate was removed from a patient who noted persistent clicking, and 2 plates have caused symptomatic clicking, likely requiring future removal. Eight of nine patients reported satisfaction with the procedure, with QuickDash scores averaging 8.2. CONCLUSIONS: We present a series of recalcitrant scaphoid nonunions treated with a novel technique of volar buttress plating and vascularized bone graft. In this series, we found a high rate of union, with consistent radiographic improvement and symptomatic relief. This procedure can be performed using a single incision and with minimal donor site morbidity. Volar plating of a scaphoid nonunion comes with the risk of articular prominence, but offers a new alternative to headless screw fixation. Our early results from this series are promising and support this protocol as a viable alternative for challenging nonunions. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Predicting radiographic changes at the first visit following operative repair of distal radius fractures.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that clinical assessment reliably identifies patients with radiographic changes (including loss of reduction, hardware failure, and hardware migration) at the initial visit following operative repair of distal radius fractures. METHODS: We identified 102 patients undergoing operative repair of distal radius fractures. Radiographs and clinical notes were reviewed. RESULTS: At the initial postoperative visit, 11 patients had more than normal postoperative pain, 0 had deformity, 0 had crepitus with gentle motion, and 0 had instability at the fracture site on examination. These 11 patients were considered to have positive clinical assessments, but none had radiographic changes on x-rays taken that day. Three patients had negative clinical assessments but had radiographic changes noted at the initial postoperative visit. There were no additional radiographic changes between the series taken at the initial postoperative visit and series taken at later postoperative visits. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that for purposes of detecting radiographic changes, radiography at the initial visit is helpful, whereas radiography at subsequent visits may not be. Radiography at subsequent visits may be useful to monitor bony healing, which we did not investigate.

Incarcerated medial epicondyle fracture following pediatric elbow dislocation: 11 cases.

PURPOSE: To describe outcomes after surgical management of pediatric elbow dislocation with incarceration of the medial epicondyle. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case review of 11 consecutive children and adolescents with an incarcerated medial epicondyle fracture after elbow dislocation. All patients underwent open reduction internal fixation using a similar technique. We characterized outcomes at final follow-up. RESULTS: Average follow-up was 14 months (range, 4-56 mo). All patients had clinical and radiographic signs of healing at final follow-up. There was no radiographic evidence of loss of reduction at intervals or at final follow-up. There were no cases of residual deformity or valgus instability. Average final arc of elbow motion was 4° to 140°. All patients had forearm rotation from 90° supination to 90° pronation. Average Mayo elbow score was 99.5. Four of 11 patients had ulnar nerve symptoms postoperatively and 1 required a second operation for ulnar nerve symptoms. In addition, 1 required a second operation for flexion contracture release with excision of heterotopic ossification. Three patients had ulnar nerve symptoms at final follow-up. Two of these had mild paresthesia only and 1 had both mild paresthesia and weakness. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that open reduction internal fixation of incarcerated medial epicondyle fractures after elbow dislocation leads to satisfactory motion and function; however, the injury carries a high risk for complications, particularly ulnar neuropathy. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Does the polarity of radial head arthroplasty affect functional outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Radial head arthroplasty allows a high degree of customizability, and implant polarity has emerged as an important variable. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate differences in functional and clinical outcomes between patients receiving monopolar and bipolar radial head prosthetic implants. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were employed, and 65 articles were identified in three databases. Twelve articles contained non-English or insufficient text and were consequently excluded, and 20 others did not contain sufficient data or follow-up. The remaining 33 articles were qualitatively and quantitatively reviewed. RESULTS: In total, 33 populations were identified, with 809 unduplicated patients: 565 with monopolar and 244 with bipolar implants. In these respective patients, the mean follow-up was 40.2 and 56.9 months. Average Mayo Elbow Performance Score were 86.7 and 87.4 (P=0.80), respectively; average Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores were 17.9 and 14.7 (P=0.47), and average final flexion/extension arcs were 119.4° and 118.7° (P=0.48). Revision rates were 4.07% and 6.56%, while complication rates were 19.65% and 20.08% in the respective monopolar and bipolar patients. These increased relative risks associated with bipolar implants were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Radial head implant polarity does not appear to affect functional outcomes. While bipolar prosthetic design may increase the risks of revision and complications, the increases were not significant. Level of evidence: IV.

Eosinophilic fasciitis: case report.

A 16-year-old healthy boy presented with an acute claw hand and signs of flexor tenosynovitis or possible necrotizing fasciitis of all 4 fingers in 1 hand. After an operative incision and drainage and treatment with antibiotic, the patient improved; cultures were negative. He relapsed shortly after completing the 10-day course of antibiotics. A second incision and drainage was performed. Cultures from the second operation also revealed no infectious agent. The pathological report indicated a diagnosis of eosinophilic fasciitis. Our patient improved on antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication and has since had no further relapse. Eosinophilic fasciitis should be considered in the setting of acute claw hand and physical examination findings consistent with necrotizing fasciitis in which no infection is identified. One should consider biopsies as well as cultures during operative intervention in cases that clinically mimic serious infection but do not have purulence.

Angioleiomyoma in a 52-year-old female wrist: A case report.

Angioleiomyoma is a benign soft tissue tumor arising from vascular smooth muscle and most commonly presents in the lower extremities. We report a case of a 52-year-old right-hand dominant woman who presented with a 2-year history of intermittent, nonradiating left wrist pain, which she described as achy in nature without numbness or tingling. A focused physical examination revealed no edema, no obvious skin changes; there was tenderness over the volar-radial aspect of the left wrist, with an underlying firm, mobile, and palpable soft tissue mass. There was no prior history of trauma or surgery to the affected area. Ultrasound (US) examination demonstrated a 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.4 cm well-defined, oval, hypoechoic soft tissue mass within the volar radial soft tissues of the left wrist. The lesion abutted the radial artery without signs of calcification or necrosis. Color Doppler showed little to no vascularity within the mass nor radial artery thrombosis. Histological analysis revealed an angioleiomyoma arising from the radial artery wall. A case presentation like this would most commonly be due to a volar ganglion cyst; however, it is important to consider other soft tissue masses in differential diagnosis, such as angioleiomyoma, as treatment varies significantly.

The Impact of Florida Law HB21 on Opioid Prescribing Patterns After Outpatient Hand Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Florida lae House Bill 21 (HB21) on opioid prescribing patterns by a single orthopedic hand surgeon after outpatient hand and upper extremity surgery. METHODS: The following variables were evaluated with retrospective chart review before and after implementation of HB21: type of opioid, number of pills, morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), emergency department visits, and readmissions. In addition, the Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (E-FORCSE [Electronic-Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substance Evaluation]) was queried to determine the number of pills and MMEs prescribed and sold for the latter cohort. Student t tests, Fisher exact tests, and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. P < .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: We reviewed 231 consecutive patients who underwent hand or upper extremity surgery from July 2017 to July 2018 and 207 consecutive patients from January 2020 to January 2021. The average age was significantly different between the cohorts (48.41 vs 44.98 years, P = .025); however, there were no significant differences across other demographic variables. After controlling for age, the average number of pills prescribed per patient decreased significantly after HB21 (25.11 vs 21.6 pills, P < .001). The number of MMEs prescribed per patient decreased as well, but the decrease was not statistically significant (167.8 vs 154.1 MMEs, P = .054). There was an association between preoperative opioid prescriptions filled and prolonged opioid use (odds ratio 6.438, P = .003). CONCLUSION: Florida law HB21 resulted in significantly fewer pills prescribed per patient, suggesting that legislation likely changed prescriber behavior and/or patient demand regarding postoperative opioid prescriptions after outpatient hand and upper extremity surgery.

Leadership Trends at Hand Surgery Fellowships.

BACKGROUND: Fellowship directors (FDs) influence the future of trainees in the field of hand surgery. Currently, there are no studies that analyze the demographic background, institutional training, and academic experience of hand surgery FDs. This study aims to serve as a framework to understand the landscape of current leadership positions in hand surgery education and to identify opportunities to improve FD diversity. METHODS: The American Society for Surgery of the Hand Fellowship Directory was reviewed to include all hand surgery fellowships in the United States. Collected demographic information regarding FDs included age, sex, ethnicity, residency/fellowship training, residency/fellowship graduation year, year hired by current institution, time since training completion until FD appointment, length in FD role, and H-index. RESULTS: Of the 90 FDs included, 86.7% were men and 71.4% self-reported as Caucasian. The average H-index was 13.98 and significantly correlated with age and duration as FD; 71.1% of FDs were trained in orthopedic surgery. The most attended residency program was the University of Pennsylvania; Mayo Clinic and Harvard University were the most represented fellowship programs. CONCLUSION: This review reveals specific trends in demographic backgrounds, institutional training, and academic experiences among current FDs in hand surgery. Our observations, such as racial/ethnic and sex disparities, may offer opportunities to improve the representation of the communities these physicians serve. In addition, the trends described in this study provide objective data among current hand surgery FDs and could serve as a guide for individuals who desire academic leadership roles.

Analysis of Questions in Sections of the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to assess all available studies that analyzed the types of questions in individual sections of the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination, which may be used as a reference for residents studying for their examination. METHODS: Following the Providing Innovative Service Models and Assessment extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a systematic review was conducted on studies that report on sections or question categories of the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases. Two reviewers and an arbitrator reviewed and extracted relevant data from 20 included studies which made up the systematic review. RESULTS: All 20 studies in the review reported the mean number of questions per section, with the highest coming from musculoskeletal trauma (18.9% to 19.0%). 18 studies reported the Buckwalter taxonomic classification; 42.0% of questions were T1, 18.2% were T2, and 39.5% were T3 with a wide range from section to section. Primary sources were nearly three times more likely to be cited when compared with textbook sources. There were 12 journals that were commonly cited with the most being the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery: American Volume (17/18). DISCUSSION: This study accurately portrays the characteristics of each section of the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination over the past 10 years. These data suggest that orthopaedic residents may be inclined to focus on musculoskeletal trauma, topics related to clinical management, and primary journal sources for studying. In addition, residency programs may choose to focus on higher yield sources or material to prepare their residents for the examination.

Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Application Match Patterns.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the orthopaedic match process are yet to be fully understood and should be explored. We hypothesize that the cancellation of away rotations due to the COVID-19 pandemic would decrease the variability of where students matched into orthopaedic residency compared to pre-pandemic years. Methods: Accredited orthopaedic programs were collected from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) database. Rosters of orthopaedic residency classes for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021 were compiled across all orthopaedic programs in the United States. Data collection for the incoming 2021 orthopaedic surgery residents was carried out by reviewing each program's website, Instagram, and Twitter. Results: Data for the incoming orthopaedic surgery residents from the 2021 National Residency Match Program (NRMP) were collected. 25.7% of incoming residents matched at their home institution. Data collection for the 2020 and 2019 orthopaedic residency classes yielded 19.2% and 19.5% home institution match rates, respectively. When examining likelihood to match into an orthopaedic residency program in ones own's state, we found that in the 2021 match cycle, 39.3% of applicants matched within their state, while 34.3% and 33.4% of incoming residents matched in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Conclusion: To keep our patients and staff safe, visiting externship rotations were suspended in the 2021 Match cycle. As we continue to navigate the shifting waters of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand how our choices affect the dynamics of applying into residency training and beyond. This study demonstrates that a higher percentage of applicants that matched into orthopaedic residency remained at their home program compared to the previous two years before the pandemic. This indicates that programs tended to rank their home applicants, and that applicants tended to rank their home programs, higher than those that were less familiar. Level of Evidence: IV.

Does Surgeon Level of Expertise Correlate with Patient Outcomes?

Background It is difficult to evaluate the results of surgical techniques as there is inherent variability between surgeons in regard to experience, skill level, and knowledge. Tang suggested a classification system in 2009 in an attempt to standardize surgeon level of expertise, with categories ranging from nonspecialist (Level I) to expert (Level V). This epidemiological analysis of all articles citing Tang's original paper examines if a surgeon's self-reported level of expertise correlates with outcomes and evaluates whether the current definition of Tang level is sufficient to account for expertise bias. Methods In May 2021, all articles citing Tang level of expertise were identified ( N = 222). Articles were included if they described a novel technique and provided author(s)' levels ( n = 205). Statistical analysis was conducted, and p -values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results The most common specialties reporting Tang level of expertise were orthopaedic surgery (82.9%) and plastic surgery (15.5%). The most common subspecialty was hand surgery. 2020 was the year with the most studies reporting level of expertise (31.7%), followed by 2021 (20.0%) and 2019 (17.1%). The majority of studies (80.5%) reported positive results with their technique, and of these, 63.3% were statistically significant. Level of expertise was not significantly associated with a doctoral degree, type of residency completed, fellowship completion, hand fellowship, author sex, study type, or result significance. Discussion The current Tang classification is both underreported and incomplete in its present state. To account for expertise bias, we recommend all authors report Tang level when describing surgical techniques. Studies with multiple authors should explicitly state the level of each author, as well as a weighted average accounting for the total contribution of each individual.

Assessment of pronator quadratus repair integrity following volar plate fixation for distal radius fractures: a prospective clinical cohort study.

PURPOSE: To assess prospectively the integrity of pronator quadratus (PQ) muscle repair following volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures and to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of durable versus failed repairs in 24 subjects. In addition, by grading the degree of PQ injury, an attempt was made to correlate failure of repair with the PQ injury severity. METHODS: The extent of PQ injury was graded for each fracture. After fracture fixation, the PQ muscle was repaired along its radial and distal borders. Radiopaque hemoclips were attached to each side of the PQ repair, 2 radially and 2 distally. The distance between these markers at time 0 versus x-rays taken at approximately 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months was recorded. Clip displacement of 1 cm or more compared to time 0 indicated repair failure. RESULTS: One of 24 repairs (4%) failed at 3 months. No statistical difference was noted between the type of PQ injury and wrist flexion/extension, pronation/supination, and grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: Pronator quadratus repairs after volar plate fracture fixation are generally durable. They withstand forces that occur at the distal radius during the healing process with a 4% failure rate. No correlation was shown between type of PQ injury and radiographic failure of the repair.