Three-dimensional measurement of the course of the radial nerve at the posterior humeral shaft: An in vivo anatomical study.

PURPOSE: Iatrogenic radial nerve injury caused by surgical exposure of the humerus is a serious complication. We aimed to describe the course of the radial nerve at the posterior humeral shaft using a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction technique by utilizing computed tomography (CT) images of living subjects. We hypothesized that the course of the radial nerve in the posterior aspect of the humeral shaft would be reliably established using this technique and the measurements would have satisfactory intraobserver/interobserver reliabilities. METHODS: This in vivo anatomical study utilized 652 upper extremity CT angiography images from 326 patients. A 3D modeling of the humerus and radial nerve was performed. We evaluated the segment of the radial nerve that lays directly on the posterior aspect of the humeral shaft and measured its proximal point, mid, and distal points. The shortest distances from the olecranon fossa to these points were defined as R1, R2, and R3, respectively. The relationships between these parameters and humeral length (HL) and transcondylar length (TL) were evaluated, and the intraobserver/interobserver reliabilities of these parameters were measured. RESULTS: The HL was 293.6 mm, and TL was 58.64 mm on average. The R1 measured 159.2 (range 127.1-198.2) mm, R2 was 136.6 (105.7-182.5), and R3 was 112.8 (76.8-150.0) mm on average (p < .001). The intraobserver/interobserver reliabilities ranged from 0.90 to 0.98. CONCLUSION: The course of the radial nerve at the posterior aspect of the humeral shaft can be reliably established using the 3D reconstruction technique, and all measurements had excellent intraobserver/interobserver reliability.

Open cubital and carpal tunnel release using wide-awake technique: reduction of postoperative pain.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of and patient satisfaction with the wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) technique in open cubital and carpal tunnel release surgery. METHODS: From January 2016 to February 2017, 20 cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) patients were in a wide-awake (WA) group and 22 in a general (GA) anesthesia group in . Also, 20 carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients were in a WA group, 22 in a local anesthesia (LA) group, and 20 in a GA group. Injection pain, perioperative pain, and postoperative pain were assessed using a 10-point pain VAS. In CuTS, functional outcome on the "quick" Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire were evaluated. In CTS, subjective outcomes were assessed using the Korean version of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire. RESULTS: Both CuTS and CTS showed significant postoperative pain reduction in group WA. In CuTS, group WA had less pain than group GA up to 48 hours after surgery (P<0.05). Supplemental opioid injections were used on hospitalization day by 12% of group WA and 35% of group GA. In CTS, the postoperative VAS scores in group WA were lower during the first 24 hours than groups LA and GA (P<0.05). Opioid injections were used on hospitalization day by 5% of WA, 18% of LA, and 32% of group GA. There was no difference in postoperative functional outcomes according to anesthesia method in CuTS or CTS. CONCLUSION: Cubital and carpal tunnel surgery using the WALANT technique was comparable in function to other anesthesia methods and superior for pain. Immediate postoperative pain was much lower than other groups, which could reduce the use of opioids during hospitalization.

Skin graft using MatriDerm® for plantar defects after excision of skin cancer.

Skin cancer should be excised with sufficient margin to reduce recurrence rate. However, the surgeon always has to worry about the reconstruction method of skin defects after excision. In particular, defects in the plantar surface of the foot are difficult to reconstruct due to their position and structure, and various methods are applied by each surgeon. Surgeons think which methods are easier to apply to patients and less morbidity. To alleviate these concerns, we applied artificial dermal substitute to skin defects after skin cancer. Bowen's disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ) and melanoma in situ on the plantar surface of the foot were subjected to wide excision with sufficient margin. After excision, a skin defect with exposed plantar fascia was applied with a matrix defect and vacuum. A granulation tissue (dermal matrix) was formed and a split-thickness skin graft was performed. Both patients had good functional results and no problems with skin donor sites. Thus, we report a skin graft method that is relatively easy to apply after skin cancer excision on the plantar surface of the foot.

Fluorescence control on panchromatic spectra via c-alkylation on arylated quinoxalines.

A coherent green fluorescence was obtained by butylation at the 2-position of panchromatic 2,3-diaryl-5,8-diarylquinoxalines (2) to give corresponding 2-butyl-2,3-diaryl-5,8-diaryl-1H-quinoxalines (3). Full color quinoxaline derivatives (2) were prepared from electronic modification at either the 2,3- or 5,8-positions at the peripheral ArX group or X group (X = -H, -OMe, -NPh(2), -NMe(2), -NMePh) of the quinoxalines. 2-Butylation converted one imine unit of the pyrazine ring to an amine group, which effectively altered the electron donor and acceptor functions to produce a coherent green fluorescence.