Trust and Distrust in Opioid Decision-Making: A Qualitative Assessment of Patient-Doctor Relationship.

PURPOSE: Surgeons often prescribe opioid analgesics for pain management after surgery. However, we understand little about how patients perceive opioid prescribing and make decisions to use opioids for postoperative pain management. In this study, we aimed to gain an understanding of patients' decision-making process on postoperative opioid use. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 adult patients undergoing elective surgery at our institution. The interviews were content-coded for thematic analysis. We used trust in the medical setting as a conceptual framework to interpret and find the inherent theory in the data. RESULTS: We found that participants based their opioid decisions on their trust or distrust toward various elements of their postoperative pain management. Participants believed that the surgeons "know," thereby, reinforcing their trust in surgeons' postoperative opioid prescribing to be in the participants' best interest. Moreover, the positive reputation of the institution strengthened the participants' trust. However, participants conveyed nuanced trust because of their distrust toward the opioid medications themselves, which were viewed as "suspicious," and the pharmaceutical companies, that were "despised." Despite this distrust, participants had confidence in their inherent ability to protect themselves from opioid use disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how patients perceive and form decisions on postoperative opioid use based on their trust and distrust toward various factors involved in their care highlights the importance of the patient-doctor relationship and building trust to effectively address postoperative pain and reduce opioid-related harms. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Through a strengthened therapeutic alliance between patients and surgeons, we can improve our strategies to overcome the ongoing opioid epidemic through patient-centered approaches.

The Impact of Pre-Referral Advanced Diagnostic Testing on Wait Time to See a Hand Surgeon for Common Upper-Extremity Conditions.

PURPOSE: We sought to evaluate the use of pre- and post-referral advanced diagnostic testing among patients with 3 common hand conditions, rates of subsequent tests, and differences in wait time to see a hand surgeon. METHODS: We analyzed a single academic tertiary care center administrative database of encounters from 2006 to 2015 to identify adult patients who were referred to a hand surgeon for 3 conditions (carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS], soft tissue masses [STM], and joint pain [JP]). We recorded patient characteristics, use and timing of diagnostic tests, and wait time for the initial hand surgeon evaluation. RESULTS: Among patients who received advanced diagnostic tests before the surgeon evaluation, CTS patients had the highest rate of receiving pre-referral advanced testing (53.4%) compared with JP (10.6% ) and STM patients (5.8%). The CTS patients had the highest rates of repeat testing (19.5%) compared with patients with JP (1.4%) and STM (0%). Across all 3 conditions, patients who received pre-referral advanced testing waited an additional 19 to 94 days to see a surgeon, compared with patients who received only post-referral testing or no testing. CONCLUSIONS: Use of pre-referral advanced diagnostic tests is associated with an increased time to see a hand surgeon for common hand conditions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Hand surgeons should have a role in identifying patients who do or do not benefit from advanced testing before referral to ensure that tests ordered before consultation are useful to both patients and treating surgeons.

Predictors of functional outcomes after simple decompression for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: a multicenter study by the SUN study group.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of surgical outcome for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). DESIGN: Prospective cohort followed for 1 year. SETTING: Clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with UNE (N=55). INTERVENTION: All subjects had simple decompression surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was patient-reported outcomes, such as overall hand function through the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). Predictors included age, duration of symptoms, disease severity, and motor conduction velocity across the elbow. RESULTS: Multiple regression models with change in the overall MHQ score as the dependent variable showed that at 3 months postoperative time, patients with <3 months duration of symptoms showed 12 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-23.5) greater improvement in MHQ scores than those with ≥3 months symptom duration. Less than 3 months of symptoms was again associated with 13 points (95% CI, 2.9-24) greater improvement in MHQ scores at 6 months postoperative, but it was no longer associated with better outcomes at 12 months. A worse baseline MHQ score was associated with significant improvement in MHQ scores at 3 months (coefficient, -0.38; 95% CI, -.67 to -.09), and baseline MHQ score was the only significant predictor of 12 month MHQ scores (coefficient, -.40; 95% CI, -.79 to -.01). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with <3 months of symptoms and worse baseline MHQ scores showed significantly greater improvement in functional outcomes as reported by the MHQ. However, duration of symptoms was only predictive at 3 or 6 months because most patients recovered within 3 to 6 months after surgery.

Contemporary Management of Distal Radius Fractures: What All Plastic Surgeons Should Know.

SUMMARY: Distal radius fractures are extremely common. Plastic surgery trainees and practicing surgeons who encounter these patients should be familiar with the various treatment options. Although the volar locking plate has revolutionized treatment of these fractures, we believe it is important to highlight the anatomy, diagnosis, and contemporary management of specific fracture patterns that may require techniques beyond volar plating.

The Current State of Fat Grafting in the Hand: A Systematic Review for Hand Diseases.

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) has traditionally been used for facial rejuvenation and soft tissue augmentation, but in recent years, its use has expanded to treat diseases of the hand. Autologous fat grafting is ideal for use in the hand because it is minimally invasive, can restore volume, and has regenerative capabilities. This review summarizes the emerging evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of AFG to the hand in several conditions, including systemic sclerosis, Dupuytren disease, osteoarthritis, burns, and traumatic fingertip injuries. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-compliant literature search on the use of AFG in hand pathologies was performed on October 8, 2020, in Ovid MEDLINE, Elsevier Embase, Clarivate Web of Science, and Wiley Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The retrieved hits were screened and reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and a third reviewer adjudicated when required. Reviewers identified 919 unique hits. Screening of the abstracts identified 22 manuscripts which described the use of AFG to treat an identified hand condition. Studies suggest AFG in the hands is a safe, noninvasive option for the management of systemic sclerosis, Dupuytren contracture, osteoarthritis, burns, and traumatic fingertip injuries. While AFG is a promising therapeutic option for autoimmune, inflammatory, and fibrotic disease manifestations in the hand, further studies are warranted to understand its efficacy and to establish more robust clinical guidelines. Studies to date show the regenerative, immunomodulatory, and volume-filling properties of AFG that facilitate wound healing and restoration of hand function with limited complications.

Developing the art of scientific presentation.

PURPOSE: Few guidelines exist regarding the most effective approach to scientific oral presentations. Our purpose is to (1) develop a standardized instrument to evaluate scientific presentations based on a comprehensive review of the available literature regarding the components and organization of scientific presentations and (2) describe the optimal characteristics of scientific presentations. METHODS: At the Sixty-sixth (2011) Annual Meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, 69 presentations were evaluated by at least 2 independent observers. A rating instrument was developed a priori to examine presentation content (background, methods, results, and conclusions), presentation style (speech, structure, delivery, slide aesthetics), and overall quality. We examined correlations between reviewers' ratings of each component as well as overall perceived quality of the presentation using regression analysis. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the degree of variation because of reviewer disagreement and identify the aspects of presentations that contribute to overall quality. RESULTS: Reviewer agreement was high for presentation content, and less than 1% of variation was caused by reviewer disagreement for background, methods, and conclusions. With respect to presentation style, reviewers agreed most frequently regarding speech and slide appearance, and only 9% and 13%, respectively, of the variation was caused by reviewer disagreement. Disagreement was higher for delivery and presentation structure, and 21% of the variation was attributable to reviewer disagreement. Speaker delivery and slide appearance were the most important predictors of presentation quality, followed by the quality of the presentation of conclusions and background information. Presentation of methods and results were not associated with overall presentation quality. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct aspects of presentation content and style correlate with quality, which can be reliably and objectively measured. By focusing on selected concepts with visually simple slides, speakers can enhance their delivery and may potentially improve the audience's comprehension of the study findings.

Task-Specific Patient Preferences for Shared Decision-Making in Hand Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Shared decision-making for surgery can increase patient engagement, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. However, the level of involvement that patients desire at each step of the decision-making process is unknown. METHODS: The authors surveyed patients at an academic hand surgery clinic to examine the preferred role in decision-making using validated questionnaires (i.e., Control Preference Scale, Problem-Solving Decision-Making Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale). The Control Preference Scale assesses general treatment preferences, whereas the Problem-Solving Decision-Making Scale distinguishes between problem-solving tasks (e.g., making diagnoses, calculating risks/benefits) and decision-making tasks. Patients' self-beliefs and perceived ability to handle difficult situations were assessed with the General Self-Efficacy Scale. The authors used linear regression models and ordinal logistic regression to examine the relationship between self-efficacy and patients' preferred role in treatment decision-making. RESULTS: Patients overall preferred an equal share of decision-making responsibility with the surgeon (mean Control Preference Scale score, 3.3 ± 0.7). Specifically, for problem-solving tasks, however, 81 percent of patients wanted to "hand over" the responsibility and 19 percent preferred shared decision-making. In contrast, for decision-making tasks, 54 percent of patients preferred shared decision-making. Each point increase in General Self-Efficacy Scale score correlated with 12 percent greater odds of preferring to retain the responsibility (OR, 1.12; 95 percent CI, 1.05 to 1.21; p = 0.001). However, self-efficacy did not show a significant effect for problem-solving tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found that patients prefer surgeons to provide expert knowledge for problem-solving tasks but desire equal share of responsibility in decision-making tasks. The authors' findings support the current shift away from the paternalistic model of surgical decision-making, and provide an effective strategy to tailor shared decision-making to align care delivery with patient preferences.

A decision analysis of amputation versus reconstruction for severe open tibial fracture from the physician and patient perspectives.

Although reconstruction is often the primary choice of surgeons after an open tibial fracture, there is no evidence to support the long-term effectiveness of flap reconstruction over below-knee amputation. The aim of this study was to perform a decision analysis to evaluate treatment preferences for type IIIB and IIIC tibial fractures. Reconstructive microsurgeons, physical medicine physicians, and patients with lower extremity trauma completed a Web-based standard gamble utility survey to generate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Physicians assigned quite high utility values, and there was a slight preference for reconstruction over amputation, with a gain of only 0.55 QALY. Patients assigned significantly lower utility values and also favored reconstruction over amputation, but with a larger gain of 5.54 QALYs. The disparate utilities assigned by the physicians and the patients highlight the necessity of realistic discussion of outcomes, regardless of the management methods.

Evaluation of Factors Relevant to Pain Control Among Patients After Surgical Treatment.

Importance: Opioids are often prescribed after elective surgical treatment despite the potential for misuse. Although various pain control regimens exist, patient preferences for acute postoperative pain management are unknown. Objective: To describe patient-reported key attributes of postoperative pain management. Design, Setting, and Participants: This decision analytical model used responses from a survey based on conjoint analysis to investigate the value patients placed on different aspects of postoperative pain management. Participants were patients aged 18 years or older who underwent elective hand surgical procedures between July 1, 2018, and July 23, 2019, at a single academic center. The survey was completed on a web-based platform and took place between November 2019 and January 2020. Data were analyzed from May through July 2021. Exposures: Participants were presented with a series of discrete-choice tasks and asked to select between 2 postoperative medication options that changed from question to question and had varying characteristics. Main Outcomes and Measures: Attribute importance scores and part-worth utility values for the queried aspects of pain control were calculated. Results: Of 710 individuals invited, 321 (45.2%) completed the survey; there were 212 (66.0%) women and 108 (33.6%) men, and the most common age category was 60 to 69 years (102 participants [31.8%]). Most patients reported previous opioid use (282 individuals [87.9%]). Factors in the decision-making process with the highest attribute importance scores (SDs) were risk of addiction (26.3% [13.0%]) and amount of pain relief (25.6% [14.6%]). Adverse effects 13.9% (7.2%), functional independence 11.8% (7.3%), and level of trust in the prescriber 11.4% (5.8%) had intermediate attribute importance scores (SDs). Cost 7.9% (4.4%) and stigma 3.1% (1.3%) had the lowest attribute importance scores (SDs) in patient decisions. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that multimodal pain control regimens that are associated with optimized pain relief and minimized risk of addiction are preferable to treat acute postoperative pain. The results suggest that identifying procedures for which patients prioritize minimizing risk of addiction over pain relief and incorporating patient preferences into decision-making may be associated with decreased postoperative opioid prescribing.

A Qualitative Study of Patient Protection against Postoperative Opioid Addiction: A Thematic Analysis of Self-Agency.

BACKGROUND: Opioids are commonly used following outpatient surgery. However, we understand little about patients' perspectives and how patients decide on postoperative opioid use. This study seeks to investigate aspects of patients' thought processes that most impact their decisions. METHODS: The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 30 adults undergoing minor elective hand surgery at one tertiary hospital. Narratives were content-coded to arrive at the authors' thematic analysis. The authors incorporated Bandura's concept of self-agency to interpret the data and develop a conceptual framework that best explained the implicit theory within participants' responses. RESULTS: The authors found six themes under two domains of self-agency. Participants actively sought out protective mechanisms supporting their decision on opioid use, but sometimes did so unconsciously. They would avoid opioids postoperatively because they were "tough" and wanted to evade the risk of addiction as "good citizens." They conveyed a nuanced safety against addiction because they were "not the kind" to become addicted and because they trusted the surgeons' prescribing. However, participants felt discouraged by the stigma associated with opioids. Both intentionally and unintentionally, participants integrated a strong sense of self in their decision-making processes. CONCLUSIONS: A robust understanding of how patients choose to take opioids for postoperative pain control is imperative to develop patient-centered strategies to treat the opioid epidemic. Effective opioid-reduction policies should consider patients as active agents who negotiate various internal and external influences in their decision-making processes. Surgeons must incorporate patients' individual goals and perspectives regarding postoperative opioid use to minimize opioid-related harm after surgery.

Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces for the Management of Symptomatic Hand and Digital Neuromas.

Painful neuromas result from traumatic injuries of the hand and digits and cause substantial physical disability, psychological distress, and decreased quality of life among affected patients. The regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) is a novel surgical technique that involves implanting the divided end of a peripheral nerve into a free muscle graft for the purposes of mitigating neuroma formation and facilitating prosthetic limb control. The RPNI is effective in treating and preventing neuroma pain in major extremity amputations. The purpose of this study was to determine if RPNIs can be used to effectively treat neuroma pain following partial hand and digital amputations. We retrospectively reviewed the use of RPNI to treat symptomatic hand and digital neuromas at our institutions. Between November 2014 and July 2019, we performed 30 therapeutic RPNIs on 14 symptomatic neuroma patients. The average patient follow-up was 37 weeks (6-128 weeks); 85% of patients were pain-free or considerably improved at the last office visit. The RPNI can serve as a safe and effective surgical solution to treat symptomatic neuromas after hand trauma.

Bringing It All Together: A Practical Approach to the Treatment of Dupuytren Disease.

As minimally invasive options for treatment of Dupuytren contractures become increasingly widespread, it is important that the evidence is carefully evaluated and patients are informed of the risks and benefits of the options available. The authors advocate a shared decision-making process, using evidence-based medicine, to guide patients in their treatment choices. In this article, the authors present their thoughtful approach to selecting the appropriate Dupuytren treatment of patients, along with detailed, practical technical tips to avoid complications during the execution of these interventions; both collagenase injection and limited fasciectomy techniques are described in detail.

Pisotriquetral Pain Treated with Bilateral Pisiform Excision in a Collegiate Diver.

Background Pisiform excision and pisotriquetral arthrodesis are two surgical options for the treatment of pisotriquetral joint pain when conservative methods fail. However, it is unclear which option is best for patients who experience substantial, repetitive loading on their wrists and wish to preserve wrist flexibility and function. Case Description We present a case of bilateral ulnar-sided wrist pain related to the pisotriquetral joint in a 19-year-old collegiate diver. The pain was exacerbated by activities specific to this sport that requires wrist hyperextension, namely full weight-bearing on the hands (handstands), and has an impact on the hands and wrists upon water entry during dives due to direct palmar pressure. There were no radiographic signs of arthritis; however, there were bone marrow changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Management with rest, splinting, and corticosteroid injection failed to relieve the pain and precluded his ability to return to full-time diving. Treatment consisted of bilateral pisiform excision. Postoperatively, the patient returned to full-time competitive diving with resolution of his painful symptoms. Literature Review Pisiform excision has been shown to have successful outcomes in terms of return to play for lower impact athletes (such as badminton) but has not been reported in athletes who experience a high degree of force repetitively (such as gymnasts or divers). There is one report of pisotriquetral arthrodesis in a young gymnast with suboptimal results. Clinical Relevance This case report demonstrates that pisiform excision is a successful treatment for elite athletes who experience repetitive, palmar force on hyperextended wrists and subsequently develop ulnar-sided wrist pain.

Management of Upper Extremity Injury in Divers.

Modern competitive diving-especially platform diving-applies dramatic stress to the upper extremity. Some stress occurs during handstand-style takeoffs, but more force is delivered to the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder during hands-first entry. Hand positions that minimize the amount of splash result in forceful wrist extension. This repetitive impact can lead to chronic upper extremity pain and acute injuries that require operative intervention. Many divers use taping and bracing to prevent or treat this type of injury, but these are only modestly effective. Although minor injuries can improve with conservative management, carpal fractures and ligamentous injuries often require operative intervention.

Acute Calcific Tendinitis of the Index Finger in a Child.

BACKGROUND: Calcific tendinitis is characterized by calcium hydroxyapatite crystal deposition within tendons and is a common cause of musculoskeletal pain in adults. Its clinical manifestations may be acute, chronic, or asymptomatic. Acute calcific tendinitis is self-resolving condition that is rarely reported in the pediatric population and may be overlooked for more common processes, leading to unnecessary treatment. METHODS: A chart reivew was performed of a single case of acute calcific tendonitis of the index finger in a child. RESULTS: We describe a case of calcific tendinitis of the index finger in a 9-year-old boy who was referred to us for a second opinion after surgical exploration of an acutely inflamed digit was recommended based on his initial presentation. The calcifications and symptoms resolved over time without operative management. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare in children, acute calcific tendinitis can present similar to an infection. However, appropriate managment is non-operative as the symptoms and radiographic findings resolve over time.

Treatment of unstable distal radial fractures with the volar locking plating system.

BACKGROUND: The best treatment for an inadequately reduced fracture of the distal part of the radius is not well established. We collected prospective outcomes data for patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of an inadequately reduced distal radial fracture with use of the volar locking plating system. METHODS: Over a two-year period, 161 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of an inadequately reduced distal radial fracture with use of the volar locking plating system. Patients were enrolled in the present study three months after the fracture on the basis of strict entry criteria and were evaluated three, six, and twelve months after surgery. Outcome measures included radiographic parameters, grip strength, lateral pinch strength, the Jebsen-Taylor test, wrist range of motion, and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients with a distal radial fracture were enrolled. The mean age at the time of enrollment was 48.9 years. Forty percent (thirty-five) of the eighty-seven fractures were classified as AO type A, 9% (eight) were classified as type B, and 51% (forty-four) were classified as type C. Radiographic assessment showed that the plating system maintained anatomic reduction at the follow-up periods. At the time of the twelve-month follow-up, the mean grip strength on the injured side was worse than that on the contralateral side (18 compared with 21 kg; p<0.01), the mean pinch strength on the injured side was not significantly different from that on the contralateral side (8.7 compared with 8.9 kg; p=0.27), and the mean flexion of the wrist on the injured side was 86% of that on the contralateral side. All Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire domains approached normal scores at six months, with small continued improvement to one year. CONCLUSIONS: The volar locking plating system appears to provide effective fixation when used for the treatment of initially inadequately reduced distal radial fractures.