Cross-Shaped Bone Grafting and Locking Plate Fixation for Arthrodesis of the Trapeziometacarpal Joint: Surgical Technique and Early Mobilization.

BACKGROUND: The trapeziometacarpal joint is the second most common site of osteoarthritis in the hand and the most frequent one to require surgery. Arthrodesis of the trapeziometacarpal joint is recognized as one of the valuable technique but unfortunately there has been wide variation in the union rate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new arthrodesis technique involving a cross-shaped bone graft and locking plate fixation. METHODS: Eleven male patients diagnosed as Eaton's stage III osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal join were treated in our institute. The mean patient age was 62 years (range 50 to 80 years). At the day after surgery, physical therapy was started and free use of the hand was permitted. RESULTS: Patients showed radiographic evidence of trapeziometacarpal joint union after an average postoperative period of 8.3 weeks (range 6-12 weeks). The VAS pain score significantly decreased from 7.2 points preoperatively to 0.4 points after surgery. Mean side pinch strength increased significantly from 3.8 kg (53% compared to unaffected side) prior to surgery to 6.2 kg (86%). The DASH score improved from 38.6 (range 34.1-43.2) preoperatively to 17.0 (6.8-22.7) postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that our technique is a successful procedure for the trapeziometacarpal joint arthrodesis. Cross-shaped bone grafts have the advantages of restoring thumb length and providing internal stabilization, especially for rotational force. No complications arose at the bone harvest site of the iliac crest. The procedure seems to be technically demanding, particularly for adapting the bone graft to perfectly match the shape of the defect.

Gait oscillation analysis during gait and stair-stepping in elder patients with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of knee and lower limb function alone is not sufficient to assess gait. For accurate assessment of gait abnormality, gait oscillation should also be measured. The goal of this analysis was to assess the influence of the knee joint on gait oscillation during gait and stair-stepping in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. METHODS: In 33 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis and 33 healthy adults as the control group, we examined acceleration (anterior and lateral directions) and gait barycentric factors (single-support phase and ratio of center of gravity maximum values) during gait and stair-stepping. RESULTS: Acceleration in the anterior direction in the sacral region was greater in healthy adults than in osteoarthritis (OA) patients during gait and stair-down. Acceleration in the anterior direction in the dorsal vertebral region was greater in OA patients than in healthy adults during (up and down) stair-stepping. Acceleration in the lateral direction in the sacral region was greater in healthy adults than in OA patients during stair-up. Acceleration in the lateral direction in the dorsal vertebral region was greater in OA patients than in healthy adults during stair-stepping. The single-support phase was close to 1 for gait and stair-stepping in healthy adults and OA patients. The single-support time was largely the same for gait and stair-stepping in healthy adults. On the other hand, the single-support time was longer for stair-stepping than for gait in OA patients. The ratio of the center of gravity maximum values was greater for the sacral region than for the dorsal vertebral region. There was a significant difference in the stair-stepping ratio of the center of gravity maximum values between healthy adults and OA patients for the sacral region. CONCLUSION: We considered that knee OA influenced acceleration in the anterior and lateral direction in the dorsal vertebral and the ratio of the center of gravity maximum values on gait oscillation.

Diffuse Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Around the Ankle.

BACKGROUND: Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare disorder around the ankle joint. The optimal treatment for diffuse-type PVNS is still controversial because of the high incidence of recurrence. We present the clinical features of our patients and review the current diagnostic and treatment modalities. METHODS: Five patients with PVNS located around the ankle were surgically treated. In three patients, diffuse PVNS arose from the ankle joint, and in the other two it arose from the calcaneocuboid and intercuneiform joints. The average follow-up time after surgery was 2.9 years (range, 2-4.6 years). RESULTS: The average time between onset of pain and diagnosis of PVNS was 6.4 years (range, 4-10 years). Arthrotomic tumor resection was performed in all of the patients. In the three patients with ankle joint PVNS, both medial and lateral approaches were used. One patient experienced mild infection at the surgical site, but this healed conservatively. No tumor recurrences had occurred after minimum follow-up of 2 years, although mild pain persisted in the three patients with ankle PVNS. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of diffuse PVNS is frequently delayed due to vague symptoms and variable growth patterns. Orthopedic clinicians should be aware of the existence of this lesion, and it should be suspected in patients with persistent ankle swelling. To prevent tumor recurrence, accurate evaluation of tumor location and careful operative planning are mandatory. A combined surgical approach involving medial and lateral incision is necessary to expose the entire joint cavity.

Dorsal Tear of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex: Clinical Features and Treatment.

Background Several different triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear patterns have been classified through the use of wrist arthroscopy. A tear of the dorsal aspect of the TFCC has been previously reported, but it is not included in Palmer original classification. Our purpose was to describe this type of tear pattern along with the clinical presentation. Methods An isolated dorsal TFCC tear was encountered in seven wrists of six patients (three men and three women; average age was 31 years). All patients were evaluated by physical exam, X-ray, plain axial computed tomography with pronation, neutral and supination position, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with coronal, sagittal, and axial section and arthroscopy. Results The clinical findings varied and included the following: tenderness at the dorsoulnar aspect of the wrist was positive in all wrists, fovea sign was positive in five wrists, and tenderness at the dorsal aspect of the distal radioulnar joint was present in one wrist. Pain with forearm rotation was positive in all wrists. The ulnar head ballottement test induced pain in all wrists, whereas dorsal instability of the ulnar head was present in one wrist with this test. The ulnocarpal stress test was positive in five wrists. Axial and sagittal images on MRI revealed the dorsal tear in five wrists. All wrists were treated with an arthroscopic capsular repair. The final functional outcome at an average follow-up of 16.1 months was four excellent and one good wrist according to the modified Mayo wrist score. Conclusions The aim of this article is to describe our experiences with tears involving the dorsal aspect of the TFCC, which may be misdiagnosed if the surgeon is not cognizant of this injury. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic/level IV.

Distal Femoral Cortical Irregularity in children.

Cortical abnormalities at the distal postero-medial femoral metaphysis may be relatively common. We reviewed the plain radiographs of 197 knees in 130 children aged between 5 and 12 years to investigate the incidence of distal femoral cortical irregularities (DFCI) and their association with symptoms. An adductor magnus lesion was found in 15% of cases, with an even number of irregular and cystic lesions. A medial gastrocnemius lesion was found in 5% of cases, but no association was found between symptoms and the lesion. Overall, lesions were found in 25% of cases aged 5 to 9 years, but in only 13% of cases aged 12 and 13 years. Boys showed a higher incidence of both adductor magnus and medial gastrocnemius lesions. DFCI is a benign, self-limited entity and a relatively common radiologic finding. Regardless of whether or not symptoms are present, imaging findings should be carefully interpreted to avoid unnecessary diagnostic and invasive therapeutic procedures.

Surgical treatment of metastatic femoral fractures: achieving an improved quality of life for cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The femur is the most common long bone affected by metastatic carcinoma. We report our experience regarding treatment of metastatic femoral fracture using femoral head prosthesis (FHP) or intramedullary nailing (IM nail) with augmentation by polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-five complete fractures in 33 patients were treated surgically. Metastatic lesions were present in the femoral head to neck region (n=9), trochanteric to shaft region (n=23) and supracondular region (n=3). RESULTS: Eight out of 9 patients with proximal femoral metastasis reconstructed by FHP were later able to walk outdoors. For the 11 patients with trochanteric metastasis, the short type of gamma nail was used for bony fixation. In two patients the inserted IM nails were broken. All other cases showed excellent clinical outcomes. For the 12 patients with femoral shaft metastasis, the long type of gamma nail was inserted. Nine cases showed excellent clinical outcomes without any serious complications. CONCLUSION: FHP is indicated for metastases in the femoral head to neck region. IM nailing is best indicated when the lesion is located in the proximal to mid shaft and the patient's life expectancy is <6 month.

Vascularized bone graft for oncological reconstruction of the extremities: review of the biological advantages.

Vascularized bone graft (VBG) is a form of vascularized bone marrow transplant in which the bone marrow is surgically grafted with its microenvironment intact. Due to the preservation of cellular viability, VBG have significant advantages over non-vascularized bone grafts. Free vascularized fibula grafts have superior material properties and tolerate infection. Bone healing can be accomplished in a shorter period, even in an irradiated bed. In addition to these properties, VBG has other biological advantages that are not always familiar to oncological surgeons. Hypertrophic change can be divided into reactive and adaptive hypertrophy. Early hypertrophy is associated with donor-derived cells, whereas later remodeling is associated with recipient-derived cells. VBG has significant advantages in enhancing neo-revascularization of necrotic bone. We reviewed VBG from a novel viewpoint that stems from our basic research.

Functional reconstruction of the deltoid muscle following complete resection of musculoskeletal sarcoma.

Although the deltoid muscle has been assumed to be an essential shoulder muscle, the full extent of postoperative functions of the upper extremity following its complete resection due to sarcoma has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we review patients who underwent wide resection for sarcoma in the deltoid muscle, followed by functional reconstruction using pedicled latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle transfer. Four patients with sarcoma arising in the deltoid muscle were reviewed. Tumor resection with a wide surgical margin resulted in loss of the entire deltoid muscle together with the axillary nerve. For reconstruction, the ipsilateral pedicled LD muscle was transferred on its neurovascular pedicle for use as a functional substitute. One case had local recurrence and the transferred LD myocutaneous flap was resected. There were no serious complications after the operation, and all flaps survived perfectly. Wound healing at both the recipient and donor sites was uneventful. Active abduction of the shoulder joint was >160° in all patients. The muscle manual test of shoulder flexion was good to normal and abduction was fair to good. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society scores were excellent in all cases and the average score was 92% (range, 87-93%). Our results suggest that removal of the entire deltoid muscle resulted in a slight impairment of function. Pedicled LD musculocutaneous flaps are useful for covering the defect that results from resection of the deltoid muscle and they contribute additional function to the affected shoulder.

Symptomatic intraosseous lipoma in the calcaneus.

BACKGROUND: Intraosseous lipoma remains a poorly-characterized tumor. In paticular, the natural course of intracalcaneus lipoma after conservative treatment and the appropriate surgical modalities are still quite controversial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed six symptomatic patients who underwent curettage of intracalcaneus lipoma followed by grafting of α- or ß-tricalcium phosphate. An endoscopically-assisted technique was used in one case. RESULTS: All patients experienced heel pain that increased acutely after minor trauma. Heel pain disappeared soon after surgery in five cases. One patient experienced short-term mild chronic regional pain syndrome for short term. ß-tricalcium phosphate was completely resorbed and remodeled after transplantation. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is indicated for cases that are: i) symptomatic, ii) larger than the critical size, and iii) prone to pathological fracture. Curettage of intracalcaneus lipoma involving an endoscopically-assisted technique and filling of the defect with ß-tricalcium phosphate is a feasible method and is minimally-invasive for the patient.

Large synovial osteochondromatosis arising from the interphalangeal joint of the thumb: a case report and review of the literature.

A 38-year-old woman presented with a very large synovial chondromatosis arising from the interphalangeal joint of the thumb. The tumor surrounded the interphalangeal joint and its size was approximately 3 cm. The range of motion was almost fused. Plain radiographs showed an extra-osseous tumor shadow with calcifications. The patient had no local recurrence at one year of follow-up after marginal resection of the tumor and synovectomy. Because this case showed no osteoarthritic changes, it can be classified as primary synovial chondromatosis with a tumor-like nature. Based on the clinical course and pathological report, our synovial chondromatosis case can be classified as Milgram stage 3. Our case report is unique in three respects: i) origin from the interphalangeal joint of the thumb, ii) a single lump of mass and iii) extremely large size. To our knowledge, a similar type of synovial chondromatosis has not been previously reported in the English literature.

Subungual glomus tumours: diagnosis and microsurgical excision through a lateral subperiosteal approach.

Digital glomus tumour is a rare neoplasm. Surgical excision is the only known curative treatment but the best approach for subungual glomus tumours is still controversial. A total of 12 patients with subungual glomus tumour were reviewed. There were 11 female patients and one male patient, with a mean age of 48.6 years. Surgical procedures were performed using an operative microscope and tumours were excised using the lateral subperiosteal approach. In all, 10 patients were satisfied with the outcome from the lateral operative approach because they were able to use the affected hand for kitchen work shortly after the treatment. One case presented residual tumour and underwent re-operation. No tumour recurrences and nail deformity were detected after excision with the lateral approach. The lateral subperiosteal approach was safe and reliable for the subungual glomus tumour and allowed full access to any glomus tumours. Microscopy allows careful visualisation of the tumour. It is important that surgeons accurately locate tumours to achieve complete excision.

Operative treatment for scaphoid osteonecrosis (Preiser disease): salvage or excision? Report on two cases and a review of the literature.

Idiopathic avascular necrosis of the scaphoid, or Preiser disease, is a rare condition. Both the etiology and the pathology are still not well understood. We here present 2 cases with this disease and discuss the recommended treatment according to the stage of disease progression and by reference to previous studies in the literature. Similar to Kienböck disease, the recommended treatment should be selected according to the degree of disease progression. We believe that vascularized bone graft should be restricted to Herbert stage I or II cases with no evidence of radiocarpal arthritis or carpal instability. Our first case showed excellent revascularization following vascularized bone graft, as revealed by magnetic resonance image findings. The presence of arthrosis of the radiocarpal or mid-carpal joints is an indication for scaphoid excision with midcarpal fusion or proximal row carpectomy.

A new ß-tricalcium phosphate with uniform triple superporous structure as a filling material after curettage of bone tumor.

BACKGROUND: A new ß-tricalcium phosphate with uniform triple superpore structure, SuperPore(®) (HOYA, Tokyo, Japan), has been in clinical use since 2010. As far as we are aware of, there have been no reported clinical studies using this material. We report on the first clinical cases of benign bone tumor filled with SuperPore(®). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the results for 34 benign bone tumors treated by curettage followed by implantation of the highly purified ß-tricalcium phosphates Osferion(®) (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) or SuperPore(®). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 12 months, none of the patients experienced local recurrence of the tumor or any adverse effects from the filling materials. Radiographically, complete resorption of the material and bone remodeling were achieved in 32 cases. In 17 selected cases with a small bone tumor, the mean period for complete resorption of the filling material was 21 weeks in the Osferion(®) group and 15 weeks in the SuperPore(®) group, with the latter showing a trend for better outcomes. CONCLUSION: SuperPore(®) is a safe and reliable filling substitute for defects following curettage of small bone tumors. Both SuperPore(®) and Osferion(®) gave satisfactory results with good biocompatibility and fast resorption characteristics.

Musculoskeletal sarcomas in the forearm and hand: standard treatment and microsurgical reconstruction for limb salvage.

Sarcomas in the forearm and hand are very rare, accounting for less than 1% of all upper-limb tumors and clinical outcomes after surgery and adjuvant therapies are uncertain. The forearm and hand present specific challenges due to their unique anatomical structures. There is little soft tissue and each compartment is narrow, such important structures exist in close proximity. Anatomic constraints make it difficult to achieve wide surgical margins. Although sarcomas often metastasize to the lung, the overall survival rate is excellent. Wide marginal resection during initial surgery is the most predictive factor for tumor control. The role of reconstructive surgery following wide excision for sarcoma of the forearm and hand is even more important than elsewhere in the body because excision is likely to cause bone, tendon and nerve defects, leading to severe functional deficits. Multiple options exist for bony and soft tissue reconstruction of the upper limb, with the choice dependent upon tumor type, wound characteristics, surgeon preference and the patients' functional requirements. Success should be measured not just by stable wound coverage but also by preservation of patient's health, limb cosmesis, sensation and function. Careful preoperative planning with consideration of all the possible resected structures should improve patient outcomes.

Vascularized sural nerve graft and extracorporeally irradiated osteochondral autograft for oncological reconstruction of wrist sarcoma: case report and review of literature.

For tumors that are located beside the main peripheral nerve, combined wide resection of both the tumor and peripheral nerve is mandatory. We here present an interesting case with synovial sarcoma of the wrist. An 8 cm of ulnar nerve defect was reconstructed by vascularized, folded sural nerve graft with the peroneal flap, whereas an 8 cm of distal ulna was reconstructed using extracorporeally irradiated osteochondral autograft. Our case showed excellent nerve regeneration. Extracorporeal irradiated osteochondral graft was a good option for reconstruction of the distal ulna. This procedure should be indicated for the reconstruction of non-weight-bearing joints. These kinds of reconstruction have been addressed in only a few cases of oncological reconstruction.

Unusual peroneal nerve palsy caused by intraneural ganglion cyst: pathological mechanism and appropriate treatment.

The origin of the peroneal intraneural ganglion and the outcome of treatment are still controversial. We report here three cases with peroneal intraneural ganglion and discuss the appropriate treatment. In our cases, 58-, 62-, and 65-year-old patients were operated on with extraneural decompression and epineurotomy within 4 months after onset of drop foot. Two cases demonstrated intraneural ganglion connecting to the articular branch and traversing to the deep and common peroneal nerve. At the 1-year follow-up, paralyzed peroneal nerve could be recovered in all patients even with residual ganglion. We propose correct early diagnosis, simple exoneural dissection, and atraumatic epineurotomy for the successful treatment of peroneal intraneural ganglion. Disruption of the stalk in the articular branch is a key point to prevent recurrence. For early diagnosis, clinicians should be aware of the existence of this rare lesion.

Severe ulnar nerve palsy caused by synovial chondromatosis arising from the pisotriquetral joint: a case report and review of literature.

We report here the unique case of 60-year-old man with severe ulnar nerve palsy caused by synovial chondromatosis arising from the pisotriquetral joint. At operation, the tumor entrapped the ulnar nerve proximal to the Guyon canal so that it was severely paralyzed. The ulnar neurovascular bundle could be separated safely under the microscope. To our knowledge, this type of severe neuropathy has not been reported before. Although synovial chondromatosis associated with peripheral nerve neuropathy is extremely rare, we should be aware of the existence of this type of compression neuropathy in the upper limb.

Less invasive surgery with wrist arthroscopy for distal radius fracture.

BACKGROUND: We developed a surgical procedure that can facilitate arthroscopic intervention for volar locking plate fixation for distal radius fracture (DRF) with a less invasive technique. This study is to investigate the effectiveness of our original procedure for the treatment of DRF. METHODS: One hundred fifty-five wrists of 153 consecutive patients underwent our original procedure: the plate presetting arthroscopic reduction technique (PART) for DRF. The fractures consisted of 37 extra-articular and 118 intra-articular fractures. The fractures were reduced, anatomical alignment was regained with the aid of an image intensifier, and the volar locking plate was preset. Wrist arthroscopy was then performed and the intra-articular condition assessed. If there were any residual dislocations of the intra-articular fragments, these were reduced arthroscopically, and soft tissue injuries were subsequently treated. The traction was then removed, and the plate was securely fixed. One hundred forty-five patients were followed up from 12 to 48 months. The final outcome was evaluated with the Mayo modified wrist score and Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH). The effectiveness of arthroscopy was also investigated. RESULT: On arthroscopic inspection, intra-articular dislocations were found to be residual in 35.2 %, even if reduction seemed to have been achieved when viewed with the image intensifier. Scapholunate interosseous ligament injury was recognized in 28.9 %, and triangular fibrocartilage complex injury was observed in 63.2 %. The final outcome was 112 excellent, 31 good, and 2 fair. The mean DASH score was 4.1. CONCLUSION: We developed the PART to simplify the combination of volar locking plating and arthroscopy. This technique was less invasive and effective in the treatment of DRF.

Paradoxical extension phenomenon of the little finger due to repetitive trauma to the palm.

We report a case of paradoxical extension phenomenon of the little finger, so called "lumbrical plus deformity" due to repetitive trauma to the ulnar side of the palm. The adhesion between the flexor digitorum profundus tendon and the lumbrical muscle was the cause of this phenomenon. The lumbrical muscle release was sufficient to solve this rare problem.

Ulnar-sided wrist pain due to isolated disk tear of triangular fibrocartilage complex within the distal radioulnar joint: two case reports.

Wrist arthroscopy has been successfully used with many modifications and improvements. However, distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) arthroscopy is still uncommon. We experienced 2 cases of ulnar-sided wrist pain due to isolated triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) disk tear within the DRUJ. DRUJ arthroscopy in these cases showed horizontal tear and fibrillation of TFCC disk without TFCC tear at the radiocarpal joint. Foveal attachment was intact in both cases. These were treated with debridement, which relieved pain after surgery and achieved good functional recovery. Although DRUJ arthroscopy is technically difficult, it is mandatory for making a diagnosis and treating ulnar-sided wrist pain.