RESUMEN
Introduction: Youth with brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI) have an increased risk of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and diminished self-confidence. Despite this evidence, current standards of care focus on physical interventions. Evaluation of psychological and emotional concerns is rarely prioritized in clinical settings. Therefore, mental health needs are unmet and poorly understood. Methods: An interpretivist qualitative approach was used to understand the perspectives of youth with BPBI and their caregivers on the barriers and facilitators of addressing mental health concerns, to inform practice guidelines, and promote meaningful participation within this population. Results: A purposeful sample of nine youth with BPBI between 10 to 20 years and eight caregivers participated in in-depth interviews. The interviews were semi-structured and an average of 60 min (35-85 min) long. Three themes emerged from these data: (i) physical disability identity and mental health; (ii) pursuit of "normal" body image; and (iii) paradox of advocacy. Findings illuminated the intersection of physical and mental health in these youth and provides actionable practice recommendations. Areas of need were identified including mental health support around the challenges of advocacy, body image, surgery, and preparation for the 'aging out' process for youth and their families. Conclusions: The well-being of youth with BPBI is a result of the intersection between their physical and mental health. Further research on optimizing mental health resources within physical health settings is needed to better support the holistic needs of these youth and their families.
RESUMEN
Camptodactyly is a pediatric hand condition, the treatment of which remains controversial. The authors' aim was to improve patient care through clarifying the definition of camptodactyly and indications for surgical and/or conservative management, summarizing outcomes, and defining risks. A systematic review was conducted of articles in all languages on outcomes following surgical and/or conservative management of idiopathic camptodactyly in children using MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), PubMed, EMBASE (Excerpta Medica database), AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), and CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature) (until January 2017). The primary outcome was posttreatment flexion contracture, and the secondary outcomes were indications for surgery, complications, and patient satisfaction. Database searching generated 16 final articles, with 7 case series and 9 retrospective cohort studies. There was a lack of consistency on the definition of camptodactyly and in outcome reporting. All 16 studies received a "Weak" global rating and demonstrated low-quality evidence, suggesting that treatment of camptodactyly with operative or nonoperative measures reduces the degree of flexion contracture in most patients (from pretreatment averages of 20°-85° to posttreatment averages of 5°-37°). There was general agreement that surgery should be reserved for contracture >30° or failure to respond to conservative management. Surgery generally led to more complications compared with conservative management. Only one study reported on functional limitations, and another reported on patient-reported outcomes. Current evidence of the effectiveness of camptodactyly treatment in addressing both joint-specific deformity and patient-perceived function and appearance is insufficient to guide patient care. Future research may consider the development of decision aids to guide patients and families through selecting management strategies and to promote shared decision making.