Intramedullary Kirschner Wire Fixation for Forearm Fractures in Children

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of intramedullary fixation using Kirschner wires (K-wires) for the treatment of unstable forearm fractures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three children who underwent intramedullary fixation using K-wires for the treatment of a forearm bone fracture were evaluated. The rodiological results were based on the time to union and angular deformity at last follow-up. The clinical results were analyzed according to Price criteria. RESULTS: Average union time was 6.9 weeks. Preoperatively, average angular deformity of radius is 11.4 degrees in anteroposterior (AP) view and 15.3 degrees in lateral view. In case of the ulna, arerage angular deformity was 8.3 degrees in AP view and 12.7 degrees in lateral view. At last follow up, average angular deformity of radius was 1.5 degrees in AP view and 1.6 degrees in lateral view. In case of the ulna, arerage angular deformity was 1.3 degrees in AP view and 2.5 degrees in lateral view. According to the criteria of Price et al., 42 patients (97%) were excellent and one patient (3%) was good. No specific complication was observed. CONCLUSION: An intramedullary fixation using K-wires is an attractive treatment option for unstable forearm fractures in children in terms of safety, excellent cosmesis, short hospitalization, easy hardware removal, and providing excellent radiological and clinical results.

The Treatment of Neuroma-in-Continuity with Interpositional Nerve Graft and Vein Wrapping: A Case Report

We report a case of 44 years old male patient with neuroma-in-continuity of ulna nerve. In the patient's past history, he had received operative treatment for the open supracondylar fracture of right distal humerus and ulnar nerve injury at 10 years ago, and neurolysis was tried 2 times due to severe neuropathic pain. Despite of these operations, the symptom was not improved. In operative field, we noticed neuroma-in-continuity and decided to resect the neuroma until normal nerve fascicle was noted. The nerve cable graft was done with auto sural nerve on the defect site and the nerve was wrapped with small saphenous vein. At post operative 7 months, pain was markedly decreased and sensory recovery was slightly improved and patient was satisfied with the result.

Bicipitoradial Bursitis: A Case Report

Case Report: We report a case of bicipitoradial bursitis, which is a rare mass lesion in cubital fossa. A 54-year-old woman visited our clinic with onemonth history of anterior elbow discomfort and mass lesion. She had a movable and hard mass lesion in cubital fossa. We checked imaging study with simple radiography and MRI. There was a 3.4x2.6x2.7 cm sized cystic mass lesion between biceps tendon and radial tuberosity with inflammatory change in the adjacent tissue on MRI. Enlarged bursa wrapping around the distal biceps tendon was excised and bursitis was confirmed by histologic examination. Bicipitoradial bursitis is a rare disease condition and must be differentiated with other neoplasm in cubital fossa.

The Value of Local Flaps in Lower Extrimity Reconstruction

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome and the effectiveness of local flaps in lower extremity reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have performed lower extremity reconstruction with local flap in 14 cases (10 males and 4 females) from May 2006 to February 2008. The mean age was 40.1 years (range, 16~67). The defect site was the tibia in 5 cases, the ankle in 1 case and the foot in 8 cases. The local flaps were reverse flow sural artery flap in 7 cases, gastrocnemius flap in 3 cases, lateral supramalleolar flap in 2 cases, dorsalis pedis flap in 1 case and medial hemisoleus flap in 1 case. RESULTS: All flaps were survived. Venous congestion was developed in 1 case of the rerverse flow sural artery flap but healed with secondary rotational flap. Other flaps were good without any complications. CONCLUSION: If we choose precisely indicated local flap in lower extremity reconstruction, the resultant coverage of defect would be excellent.

Salvage of Failed Digital Replantation Using Necrotizing Phalangeal Bone and Flap Coverage

Failure of reattachment of finger is inevitable in replantation surgery and that failure rate is about 10 % are reported in many authors. Management of the failed finger replantation is challenge to microsurgeons. We report 7 cases of thumb reconstruction after failure of replantation. The reconstructive surgery composed with early debridement of soft tissue that are under gangrenous processing, extract the phalangeal bone without any soft tissues. Osteosynthesis of the extracted phalangeal bone with host phalangeal bone. The exposed bony portion covered with vascularized flaps such as reverse radial forearm pedicled flap, free radial forearm flap and neurovascular island finger flap. This procedure underwent within a week after vascular insufficiency developed. All of the flaps are survived, bone union achieved within 3 months . The function and external appearance of the reconstructed thumb were encouraging; pinch power was average 1.2 pounds. Early removal of necrotizing soft tissue followed by covering none vascular phalangeal bone which extracted from the dead phalanx with vascularized flap is one of the useful alterative solutions in failed replantation surgery in hand.

One-stage Reverse Lateral Supramalleolar Adipofascial flap for Soft Tissue Reconstruction of the Foot and Ankle Joint

PURPOSE: To report the clinical results and efficacies of one stage reverse lateral supramalleolar adipofascial flap for soft tissue reconstruction of the foot and ankle joint. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed 5 cases of one stage reverse lateral supramalleolar adipofascial flap from Jan 2005 to Sept 2005. All patients were males and mean age was 50(36~59) years old. The causes of soft tissue defects were 1 diabetic foot, 2 crushing injuries of the foot, 1 open fracture of the calcaneus, and 1 chronic osteomyelitis of the medial cuneiform bone. Average size of the flap was 3.6(3~4)x4.6(4~6) cm. All flaps were harvested as adipofascial flap and were performed with the split-thickness skin grafts (STSG) above the flaps simultaneously. RESULTS: All flap survived completely and good taking of STSG on the flap was achieved in all cases. There were no venous congestion and marginal necrosis of the flap. In diabetic foot case, wound was healed at 4 weeks after surgery due to wound infection. There was no contracture on the grafted sites. Ankle and toe motion were not restricted at last follow up. All patients did not have difficulty in wearing shoes. CONCLUSION: The reverse lateral supramalleolar adipofascial flap and STSG offers a valuable option for repair of exposure of the tendon and bone around the ankle and foot. Also one stage procedure with STSG can give more advantages than second stage with FTSG, such as good and fast take-up, early ambulation and physical therapy, and good functional result.

Microsurgical Reconstruction of Giant Cell Tumor of Distal Epiphysis of Radius

Treatment of giant cell tumor of distal radius can be treated in several ways according to the aggressiveness of the tumor. But the management of giant cell tumor involving juxta-articular portion has always been a difficult problem. In some giant cell tumors with bony destruction, a wide segmental resection may be needed for preventing to recur. But a main problem is preserving of bony continuity in bony defect as well as preservation of joint function. We have attempted to overcome these problems by using a microvascular technique to transfer the fibula with peroneal vascular pedicle or anterior tibial vessel as living bone graft. From April 1984 to July 2005, we performed the reconstruction of wide bone defect after segmental resection of giant cell tumor in 14 cases, using Vascularized Fibular Graft, which occur at the distal radius. VFG with peroneal vascular pedicle was in 8 cases and anterior tibial vessel was 6 cases. Recipient artery was radial artery in all cases. Method of connection was end to end anastomosis in 11 cases, and end to side in 3 cases. An average follow-up was 6 years 6 months, average bone defect after wide segmental resection of lesion was 6.8 cm. All cases revealed good bony union in average 6.5 months, and we got the wide range of motion of wrist joint without recurrence and serious complications. Grafted bone was all alive. In functional analysis, there was good in 7 cases, fair in 4 cases and bad in 1 case. Pain was decreased in all cases but there was nearly normal joint in only 4 cases. Vascularized fibular graft around wrist joint provided good functional restoration without local recurrence.

Abductor Digiti Minimi Muscle Flap on Chronic Osteomyelitis of Calcaneus: A Case Report

The general treatment methods of chronic osteomyelitis of calcaneus with soft tissue defect was curettage of necrotic bone with antibiotics mixed bone cement insertion or cancellous bone grafting, and free or pedicled flap coverage. The muscle flap for soft tissue defect has many advantages including control of infection, but in cases of pedicled flap in calcaneus, there are some limitations because of functional loss of the donor site, limitation of pedicled length of donor muscle In these reason, free muscle flap was more preferred for pedicled muscle flap. But, in case of small sized defect which was located in center or lateral side of calcaneus, the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap can be one of the solutions. The abductor digiti minimi muscle flap has minimal functional loss of donor site and can be performed easily. There are some reports of the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap in other country, but in korea, this report is the first case report of the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap. We performed one case of abductor digiti minimi muscle flap as a treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of calcaneus and could obtain a good result.

Segmented Ulnar Transposition to Defect of Ipsilateral Radius in the Forearm

INTRODUCTION: Ulna is nearly equal to radius in function and bony architecture and strength in forearm. But in lower extremity, fibula is 1/5 of tibia in anatomic and functional point so we can find fibula transposition is commonly used in defect of tibia. We cannot find other article about segmental forearm bone transposition in man. The purpose of this study was to report our clinical and functional result of undergoing segmented transposition of ipsilateral ulna with its own vascular supply in defect of radius in 6 cases. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From June 1994 to October 2007, 7 segmented bone transpositional grafts in forearm were performed in Kyung Hee Medical Center. The distribution of age was from 20 years old to 73 years old. There was male in 6 cases and female in 1 case. The causes of operation were giant cell tumor in 1 case and traumatic origin in 6 cases; it was nonunion in 2 cases and fracture with severe comminution in 4 cases. Ipsilaterally segmented ulna keeping its own vascular supply was transported to defect of radius in severe traumatic patients and one patient whose tumor in radius had been excised. Transported ulna was fixed to proximal and distal radius remnants by plate and screw. In one case with giant cell tumor, transported ulna was connected to radius across wrist joint as wrist joint fusion. Joint preserving procedures were performed in 6 cases with crushing injury of radius. RESULTS: We could obtain solid bony union in all cases and good functional results. The disadvantage was relative shortening of forearm, but we could overcome this problem. CONCLUSION: We think that ipsilateral segmented ulna transposition keeping its own vascular supply to radius can be perfomed with one of procedures in cases with wide defect in radius.

Anatomic Reconstructive Surgery of the Posterolateral Instability of the Knee Using Split Acilles Allograft / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: This paper describes a new anatomic reconstructive surgical procedure that simultaneously reconstructs the fibular collateral ligament, popliteal tendon and popliteofibular ligament using a split Achilles allograft and compares the clinical results of this new technique with the posterolateral corner sling procedure used for posterolateral instability of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients were treated for a posterolateral instability of the knee between 1998 and 2003. The posterolateral corner sling procedure (Group A) was performed in 25 patients and anatomic reconstructive surgery (Group B) in 21 patients. The minimum follow-up was 12 months. An arthroscopic evaluation was performed in all cases. The clinical review included the Lysholm knee scores as well as a lateral instability and tibial external rotation assessment. RESULTS: The mean Lysholm knee scores in groups A and B were 54.8 points and 54.4 points prior to surgery, and 86.9 and 93.6 points at the time of the latest follow-up, respectively (p<0.05). Tibial external rotation of 5 degrees more than the contralateral uninjured knee was noted in 12% of group A and in 5% of group B (p<0.05). Lateral instability of 5 mm greater than the contralateral knee was observed in 28% of group A and in 14% of group B (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Anatomic reconstruction of the posterolateral corner resulted in less lateral instability and tibial external rotation than did the posterolateral corner sling procedure.

Debridement Arthroplasty for Stiff Elbow / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical results and functional assessments after debridement arthroplasty for a stiff elbow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 elbows from 30 patients, who underwent debridement arthroplasty for a stiff elbow caused by primary osteoarthritis and secondary causes such as post-traumatic osteoarthritis and synovial chondromatosis from December 1995 to April 2003, were analyzed. The mean follow-up period was 52 months (range: 24 months-8 years 5 months). Among the stiff elbows, primary osteoarthritis was the cause in 11 cases, secondary osteoarthritis due to an old trauma was the cause in 18 cases, and synovial chondromatosis was the cause in 1 case. There were 20 males and 10 females with a mean age of 36 years (range: 14-61 years) at operation. They all had pain during elbow motion. Debridement arthroplasty was performed using the posterior approach. The clinical results were evaluated according to differences in the preoperative and postoperative ROM of the elbow and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). RESULTS: Postoperatively, the elbow ROM improved to an average 122 degrees(range: 90-130 degrees) in flexion, 11 degrees(range: 0-30 degrees) in extension, 68 degrees(range: 20-90 degrees) in internal rotation and 74 degrees(range: 20-90 degrees) in external rotation. The improvement in flexion and extension was statistically significant (p<0.05). On the final follow-up, only moderate pain was reported in one case and none or mild pain was reported in 29 cases. MEPS improved from an average of 57.3 points (range: 33-75) to 88.9 points (range: 67-100). And there were 17 excellent cases (56.7%), 10 good cases (33.3%), 3 fair cases (10%) and no poor case. CONCLUSION: The stiff elbows were successfully treated with debridement arthroplasty. Therefore, debridement arthroplasty can preserve a good clinical outcomes using skillful surgical procedures and postoperative rehabilitation.