Lacertus syndrome: recent advances.

Lacertus syndrome consists in proximal median nerve entrapment with median nerve compression at the lacertus fibrosus, causing hand weakness and fatigue, forearm pain and occasional numbness. Recent advances emphasized the importance of clinical examination, due to limitations in electromyographic diagnosis and delayed diagnosis. The Hagert clinical triad, lacertus notch sign, lacertus antagonist test and taping help accurate diagnosis. Non-operative treatment should be tried; and surgical techniques, whether open or ultrasound-guided under WALANT (wide-awake, local anesthesia, no tourniquet) show promising outcomes. Improved awareness, accurate diagnosis and innovative treatments enhance patient care for this challenging condition.

Description of WALANT technique in open bone and ligament wrist surgery.

The gold-standard for bone, ligament and joint surgery in the wrist is locoregional anesthesia in most countries. Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) is commonly used for simple soft-tissue hand surgery procedures such as carpal tunnel or trigger finger release, and can now also be safely used in procedures such as proximal row carpectomy, scapholunate ligament repair or partial wrist fusion, to name but a few. This article describes the use of WALANT for complex surgery in the wrist. WALANT surgery offers many known benefits, such as enhanced patient safety and comfort, simplified perioperative process and avoidance of anesthesia-related risks, and also allows the surgeon to perform intraoperative testing of the repaired structures. Thus, the surgeon can tailor the rehabilitation program and shorten recovery time. We describe detailed guidelines for performing WALANT procedures safely and effectively, making it a favorable option for complex surgeries in the wrist.

From teaching to practice: Evaluating the impact of an upper-limb ultrasound surgery diploma on surgical practice.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the impact of an upper-limb ultrasound surgery diploma on surgical practices, specifically assessing how this specialized training influences the adoption and application of ultrasound techniques in upper limb surgeries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive survey was conducted from August to November 2023, targeting individuals who completed the upper-limb ultrasound surgery diploma program between 2013 and 2023. The survey, distributed online, comprised 31 questions spanning demographic information, professional background, specifics about the diploma program, motivations for pursuing the diploma, post-diploma practices, challenges faced, and financing of ultrasound equipment. RESULTS: Out of the 181 actually receiving the questionnaire. 94 (52%) completed the survey. The results showed an increase in ultrasound-guided interventions from 14.9% to 47.9% post-diploma. The diploma significantly influenced diagnostic ultrasound usage, though not statistically significant (35.3%-74.5%). The primary motivation for pursuing the diploma was the desire to embrace innovation (76.6%). Post-diploma, over half of the graduates observed a positive impact on patient recruitment. Challenges included lack of confidence and time constraints. Over 56% of graduates planned to increase their ultrasound-guided surgery practice. Net Promoter Score of the ultrasound interventions practices was 54.8. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the considerable impact of the upper-limb ultrasound surgery diploma on surgical practices, notably in increasing the adoption and application of ultrasound-guided techniques. It highlights the importance of specialized training in adapting to technological advancements and enhancing patient care, suggesting directions for future surgical education and clinical practice integration.

Wrist Hemiarthroplasty of Irreparable Distal Radius Fracture under Wide-Awake Local Anesthetic and No Tourniquet.

Distal radius fractures (DRF) are common in elderly patients and the incidence continues to increase with the aging of the population. For irreparable fractures in the elderly, treatment with a reduction cast leads to unreliable results and frequent complications when treated with an anterior plate. Recent studies on hemiarthroplasty for elderly complex wrist fractures have resulted in good clinical and radiologic outcomes, as well as high satisfaction rates. Incorporating wide-awake local anesthesia and no tourniquet (WALANT) in surgical management is beneficial in DRF plating. This technique has not been performed in wrist hemiarthroplasty for an irreparable fracture in an elderly osteoporotic woman. This article describes the WALANT procedure for wrist hemiarthroplasty in a single case, with a detailed description of the technique.

Percutaneous Ultrasound-Guided Release of the Lacertus Fibrosus for Median Nerve Entrapment at the Elbow.

PURPOSE: The aim of this technical note is to present a microinvasive percutaneous ultrasound-guided release of the lacertus fibrosus of the biceps brachii for pronator syndrome, i.e., entrapment of the median nerve at the elbow. METHODS: Fifteen consecutive patients were included. Patients showed isolated pronator syndrome including pain plus reduced strength of specific median nerve innervated muscles. The release was performed in a non-operating interventional room under wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT). It was conducted superficial to the pronator teres with in-plane ultrasound guidance. The recovery of strength was first assessed peroperatively, and then systematic visits at postoperative weeks 1 and 4 included assessments of both strength and pain. RESULTS: Procedures were comfortably completed with no immediate surgical or anesthetic complication. Muscle strength returned immediately and persisted at postoperative visits. Visual analog scores for pain reduced from 6.2 to 2.5 and 0.6 at weeks 1 and 4, respectively. All working patients were able to perform in their professional activities at week 1. The millimetric skin incision healed with no hypertrophic scar tissue. A small hematoma occurred at week 1 and resorbed spontaneously. No other delayed complication was observed. The procedure appeared effective with improved invasiveness compared to existing techniques. Real-time monitoring with ultrasound may improve the safety. The technique could be regarded as a new ultrasound-guided alternative to surgery. CONCLUSION: Performed superficial to the pronator teres muscle under WALANT anesthesia, the microinvasive percutaneous ultrasound-guided release of the lacertus fibrosus may be an effective treatment of pronator syndrome.

Flexor Tendons Sonography.

Ultrasonography is the best examination to explore the flexor tendons anatomy and disorders from the wrist to the digit. It is the only dynamic and comparative tool easily accessible for the surgeon. Indeed, ultrasonography is always available in all the departments of your hospital. Recent innovations permit to see superficially (high-frequency probes), precisely (smaller probes), and with greater softwares for an effective Doppler mode. Ultrasonography becomes a very important help at the outpatient clinic examination. In the future it can be used in the operating room to perform miniinvasive surgery under local anesthesia to control active motion of the gliding of flexor tendons.

Ultrasound-Guided de Quervain's Tendon Release, Feasibility, and First Outcomes.

Background de Quervain's syndrome is one of the main tendonitis of the wrist. The hypothesis of authors was that de Quervain's syndrome could be successfully treated with a specific ultrasound-guided percutaneous procedure, as it is for trigger finger. Surgical Technique Identification of the subcompartmentalization of the first extensor compartment was performed first, using the Hiranuma's classification, prior to the surgery. Then, we assessed precisely the positions of the sensory branches of the radial nerve and drew the landmarks. Through a continuous ultrasound in-plane control, we performed a percutaneous retrograde section of each part of the first compartment of the extensors, using a dedicated surgical blade. Methods In a cadaveric study, authors proposed to assess the feasibility and safety of a new and specific procedure and then assessed their first clinical cases. Fourteen specimen wrists were analyzed with ultrasound and the procedure was performed prior to an open control of the efficiency of the release, and safety for the superficial nerves. Then, we reported the results of the 22 first patients included in the clinical series. Results In a cadaver laboratory, authors were able to identify with ultrasound the type of first compartment septation (subcompartmentalization) in 13 cases ( n = 14). The misidentification induced one incomplete release. No damages of the superficial radial nerve were observed despite close relationship. In the small series ( n = 22), the duration of surgery was 8 minutes (range: 4-18 minutes). It was performed in office surgery and no morbidities were noticed. All patients improved, from quickDASH preoperative score of 59 (range: 28-71) to quichDASH postoperative score of 9 (range: 0-25). Conclusion Ultrasound-guided percutaneous release in the de Quervain's disease is a safe and reliable procedure without specific morbidity. Great care should be taken to avoid sensory nerve injuries and to identify the correct type of subcompartmentalization with a precise ultrasound evaluation.

Ultrasonography for the orthopaedic surgeon.

The recent development of high-frequency ultrasonography transducers has provided better accuracy and improved the ability to image more superficial body structures. Ultrasonography is a widely available, inexpensive, comparative, and dynamic imaging technique that involves no radiation exposure and has no other adverse effects. Ultrasonography must always be combined with a medical history, physical examination, and radiographic assessment. What is ultrasound-assisted orthopaedic surgery? This approach consists in the use of ultrasonography by orthopaedic surgeons during patient visits and/or in the operating room. Similar to arthroscopy, ultrasonography is used as a complementary technique by physicians involved in the management of musculo-skeletal disease (e.g., radiologists, rheumatologists, and sports physicians). What knowledge of biophysics is needed to use ultrasonography? The surgeon must be familiar with the mechanisms by which the ultrasound waves are generated and received during B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography and with possible types of image artefacts. What is the procedure for examining a structure by ultrasonography? Each anatomic component must be assessed along two perpendicular planes in scanning mode. What does ultrasonography contribute during patient visits? Ultrasonography provides additional diagnostic information and helps to explain the pathological process to the patient. How does the contribution of ultrasonography vary across body sites and pathological processes? Ultrasonographic imaging is easier at some body sites than at others. Ultrasonography can provide useful information in patients with joint disease, sports injuries, osteo-articular infections, peripheral neuropathy, or tumours. What is interventional ultrasonography in orthopaedic surgery? Ultrasound-guided orthopaedic interventions include injections, aspirations, and minimally invasive surgical procedures. How can orthopaedic surgeons incorporate ultrasonography into their practice? The surgeon must purchase an ultrasound machine dedicated to the musculo-skeletal system and follow the necessary training courses.

Arthroscopic Treatment of Symptomatic Congenital Lunotriquetral Coalition.

Symptomatic lunotriquetral coalition is very rare and need open surgery after failure of conservative treatment. We report a case of a symptomatic congenital lunotriquetral coalition type 1 according to the Minaar classification, at the left wrist of a 14-year-old boy. We performed an arthroscopic treatment with two compression screws and without cancellous bone grafting. Healing was obtained at 2 months postoperatively.

"Onycholemmal carcinoma." An unusual case with apocrine and sebaceous differentiation. Are these tumors a microcystic nail bed carcinoma?

Subungual malignant epithelial tumors with tricholemmal keratinization have rarely been described as "malignant proliferating onycholemmal cyst" and "onycholemmal carcinoma (OC)." We report an additional case of a slow growing OC occurring on the middle finger of a 58-year-old man, which was unusual as it showed sebaceous-apocrine differentiation, in addition to a nail bed carcinoma with tricholemmal microcysts. We therefore consider the descriptive term of microcystic nail bed carcinoma more appropriate than OC. It is recognized that none of the rare cases of OC meet the classical additional criteria proposed by Headington for tricholemmal carcinoma, that is, lobular arrangement, peripheral palisading, thickened basement membrane, and glycogen-positive tumors cells. On the other hand, we suggest that the term follicular microcysts of the nail bed should be retained to describe the true nature of subungual epidermoid inclusions, which show usually a limited differentiation toward the follicular isthmus. Therefore, the previous cases of OC without sebaceous-apocrine differentiation could be best classified as a microcystic nail bed carcinoma arising from the follicular microcysts of the nail bed, with a limited differentiation toward the keratinization of the follicular isthmus.

A novel pyrolytic carbon implant for hallux rigidus: a cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this cadaveric study was to assess the technical feasibility of inserting a novel interpositional pyrolytic carbon coated implant in the first MTP joint, determine the best surgical procedure for the implantation, and evaluate the dynamic behavior of the joint after surgery. METHODS: The marble implant was inserted in the first metatarsophalangeal joint of five pairs of cadaveric feet using two different surgical approaches, dorsal and medial, for each pair. The stability and mobility of the feet before and after implantation, as well as the relationship between the implant and the sesamoids, were assessed by static and dynamic fluoroscopy. RESULTS: After implantation, the stability was perfect in all positions and the mobility was conserved. There were no conflicts between the sesamoids and the implant during the movement of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Both the dorsal and the medial surgical approaches led to similar findings. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first anatomic evaluation of this type of implant. Whereas the results of the technique obtained on cadaveric feet were satisfactory, caution has to be applied to trying to apply this procedure to the living patient.

End-to-side neurorrhaphy for median nerve repair after elbow tumor resection: case report.

We report a case of a median to ulnar end-to-side neurorrhaphy with epineurectomy but without fascicular donor nerve section. Surgery was performed for the curative treatment of an elbow synovial sarcoma at the level of the elbow that necessitated resection of 10 cm of the median nerve. The patient was followed up for 24 months. After 4 months, a recovery of protective sensation in the territory of the median nerve was noticed and had stabilized by 1 year.