Acute Distal Biceps Tendon Injury: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Acute distal biceps injuries clinically present with sudden pain and acute loss of flexion and supination strength. The main injury mechanism occurs during the eccentric load of the biceps. The hook test is the most significant examination test, presenting the highest sensibility and specificity for this lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging, the gold standard imaging test, can provide information regarding integrity and identify partial and/or complete tears. The surgical treatment uses an anterior or double approach and several reattachment techniques. Although there is no clinical evidence to recommend one fixation method over the other, biomechanical studies show that the cortical button resists better to failure. Although surgical treatment led to an 89% rate of return to work in 14 weeks, the recovery of high sports performance occurred in 1 year, with unsustainable outcomes.

Acute Distal Biceps Tendon Injury: Diagnosis and Treatment / Lesões agudas do tendão distal do bíceps: Diagnóstico e tratamento

Abstract Acute distal biceps injuries clinically present with sudden pain and acute loss of flexion and supination strength. The main injury mechanism occurs during the eccentric load of the biceps. The hook test is the most significant examination test, presenting the highest sensibility and specificity for this lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging, the gold standard imaging test, can provide information regarding integrity and identify partial and/or complete tears. The surgical treatment uses an anterior or double approach and several reattachment techniques. Although there is no clinical evidence to recommend one fixation method over the other, biomechanical studies show that the cortical button resists better to failure. Although surgical treatment led to an 89% rate of return to work in 14 weeks, the recovery of high sports performance occurred in 1 year, with unsustainable outcomes.

Resumo As lesões agudas do tendão distal do bíceps se apresentam, clinicamente, com uma dor súbita associada a perda aguda de força de flexão e supinação. Seu principal mecanismo de lesão ocorre durante contração excêntrica do bíceps. O "Hook Test" é o principal teste semiológico, sendo o mais sensível e específico. A ressonância magnética, exame padrão ouro para o diagnóstico, pode fornecer informações sobre a integridade, identificando as lesões parciais e/ou completas. O tratamento cirúrgico pode ser realizado por duas vias principais: anterior e por dupla via porém as técnicas de reinserção tendínea são diversas não havendo evidência clínica que recomende um método de fixação em detrimento ao outro; embora o botão cortical apresente maior resistência a falha nos estudos biomecânicos. Com o tratamento cirúrgico o retorno as atividades laborais foi de 89% em 14 semanas (média) porém ao esporte de alto rendimento o prazo foi longo, média de 1 ano, e não duradouro.

Características epidemiológicas de las fracturas supracondíleas de húmero en niños y adolescentes

Introducción: Las lesiones traumáticas del codo son muy frecuentes, sobre todo en niños y adolescentes. Algunas de ellas son de difícil tratamiento y se asocian a complicaciones. De ellas, las fracturas supracondíleas del húmero son una de las más frecuentes. Objetivo: Describir las características epidemiológicas de un grupo de pacientes con esta enfermedad traumática. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo en 56 pacientes menores de 18 años atendidos en el Hospital Pediátrico Provincial Dr. Eduardo Agramonte Piña de la provincia Camagüey desde el primero de enero de 2018 al 31 de diciembre de 2021 con un total de 48 meses. Resultados: La razón sexo masculino-femenino de los 56 pacientes fue de 3,3 a 1, codo izquierdo-derecho de 1,9 a 1 y zona rural urbana de 2,2 a 1. El promedio de edades en general fue de 7,5 años. La estadía hospitalaria promedio fue de 4,8 días. El mecanismo de extensión fue el hallazgo más frecuente, así como las fracturas grado III. Los meses de enero y julio en conjunto con los días del jueves, viernes y domingo son los que presentan la mayor cantidad de pacientes. La reducción cerrada y fijación percutánea con alambres de Kirschner fue el método más empleado en esta enfermedad traumática. Conclusiones: Las fracturas supracondíleas del humero en el niño son más frecuentes en el sexo masculino y el codo izquierdo. El promedio de edades en el sexo masculino es mayor que en el femenino. Las zonas rurales aportan la mayor cantidad de pacientes. El tratamiento más empleado es el quirúrgico y las complicaciones inmediatas son infrecuentes.

Introduction: Traumatic injuries of the elbow are very frequent, some of them are difficult to treat and are associated with complications, of which supracondylar fractures of the humerus are one of the most frequent. Objetive: To describe the epidemiological behavior of a group of patients with this traumatic disease. Methods: A descriptive observational study was carried out in patients treated at the Dr. Eduardo Agramonte Piña Provincial Pediatric Hospital in the city of Camagüey from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2021 with a total of 48 months. Results: the male-female sex ratio of the 56 patients was 3.3 to 1, the left-right elbow was 1.9 to 1, and the urban rural area was 2.2 to 1. The average age in general was 7.5 years. The average hospital stay was 4.8 days. The extension mechanism was the most frequent finding, as well as grade III fractures. The months of January and July together with the days of Thursday, Friday and Sunday are the ones with the largest number of patients. Closed reduction and percutaneous fixation with Kirschner wires was the most used method in this traumatic entity. Conclusions: Supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children are more frequent in males and in the left elbow. The average age of males is higher than that of females. Rural areas provide the largest number of patients. The most used treatment is surgery and immediate complications are infrequent.

The management of acute and chronic elbow instability.

Elbow dislocations are common injuries in both the adult and pediatric populations. These injuries include simple dislocation with no associated fracture and more complex injuries with bony and ligamentous involvement. Simple dislocations are generally stable after reduction and managed with early mobilization. Complex dislocations are very unstable and operative intervention is usually necessary. Complication risks are greater and outcomes are less optimal with complex dislocations. A thorough knowledge of anatomy and understanding of the osseous and soft tissue mechanics is essential for proper management of these injuries.

ARTHROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF POST-TRAUMATIC ELBOW STIFFNESS.

UNLABELLED: To evaluate patients undergoing arthroscopic release of a stiff elbow, with discussion of the technique, possible difficulties and risks. METHODS: Twenty-four elbow arthroscopy procedures were performed. All the patients were evaluated using goniometry before the operation and six months afterwards and were rated using the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS). RESULTS: Fifteen men and nine women underwent surgery (14 right elbows and ten left elbows). Their mean age was 34.58 years and length of follow-up, 38.41 months. Their mean gain of range of motion was 43.3° and of MEPS, 85.4. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic release might enable better intra-articular viewing and enhance the options for changing strategy during surgery, reducing surgical trauma and enabling early rehabilitation. This technique can reach similar or better results than open surgery. The disadvantages of arthroscopy are the long learning curve and higher cost of the procedure. Neurovascular complications are reported with both techniques. To avoid such problems, the protocol for portal construction must be rigorously followed. Arthroscopic release was shown to be a safe and effective option for achieving range-of-motion gains in cases of post-traumatic stiff elbow.