One-stage thumb opponensplasty and polygonal flap in congenital spade hand reconstruction / 中国修复重建外科杂志

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of one-stage metacarpal osteotomy, thumb opponensplasty and polygonal flap reconstruction in the treatment of congenital spade hand deformity. Methods: Eight cases of congenital spade hand were treated between January 2013 and March 2017. There were 5 males and 3 females, with an average age of 17.5 months (range, 13-35 months). The clinical manifestations of all the children were congenital spade hand and the affected hand was shorter than the healthy side. The contralateral hand was normal and there was no chest, skull, or facial deformity. The operation was performed with metacarpal osteotomy and thumb opponensplasty, and through the dorsal metacarpal rectangular flap to reconstruct the first web and through rotation of polygonal skin flap to reconstruct thumb web and lateral fold of thumb index nail. The dorsal ulnar and proximal radial segment of thumb were repaired by skin grafting. A vernier caliper was used to measure the first web space and the thumb function was evaluated by modified Tada score. Results: The reconstruction of palmar function and the formation of first web were completed in one stage in 8 children. Skin grafting on the dorsal ulnar side of thumb and radial side of index finger survived after operation. All the children were followed up 13-29 months, with an average of 16.1 months. There was no infection, skin flap necrosis, lateral deviation of thumb, scar contracture, or other complications. At last follow-up, there was no significant difference in skin color between the healthy side and the first web of the affected hand. The opening distance of first web space was 3.5-5.0 cm, with an average of 4.2 cm. According to the modified Tada scoring system, the results were excellent in 7 cases and good in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 100%. The thumb could grasp and pinch actively, and the palm opposition function was good. Conclusion: One-stage thumb opponensplasty combined with polygonal flap for reconstruction of congenital spade hand deformity can improve hand function very well. The reasonable designing of skin flap can effectively cover important areas, and the operation is safe and reliable.

Application of preoperative needle electromyography in patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between the results of preoperative needle electromyography and the recovery of abductor pollicis brevis (APB) function in patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods The clinical data of 68 patients (76 hands) with severe carpal tunnel syndrome were retrospectively analyzed. According to the results of preoperative needle electromyography, the patients were divided into the motor unit potential (MUP) positive group (46 cases, 52 hands), and MUP negative group (22 cases, 24 hands). The patients were followed up 1 year after operation, and the manual muscle testing (MMT) grade of abductor pollicis brevis muscle, functional assessment of thumb and patient satisfaction was recorded. Results The MMT grade ≥ 3 rate and satisfaction rate 1 year after operation in MUP positive group were significantly higher than those in MUP negative group: 100.0% (52/52) vs. 75.0% (18/24) and 100.0% (52/52) vs. 66.7% (16/24), and there were statistical differences (P＜0.05). The patient′s thumb function 1 year after operation was evaluated by coin pickup test, button fastening test and sewing needle clamp test. The results showed that the thumb function in MUP positive group was significantly better than that in MUP negative group, and there was statistical difference (P＜0.05). Conclusions The recovery of postoperative thumb function is related with the evocation MUP of postoperative abductor pollicis brevis needle electromyography. For MUP positive patients, there is no need for secondary thumb opponensplasty 1 year after operation. Needle electromyography has a certain reference value for thumb opponensplasty.

Surgical Treatment of Congenital Hypoplasia of the Thumb / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: We evaluated the results and complications of surgical treatment for congenital thumb abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2002 and 2011, nine thumbs were surgically treated (Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea). There were five males and four females. The mean age of patients at the time of operation was 4.7 years (seven patients were under five years old and two patients were over 10). Five cases of Blauth type V hypoplasia (aplasia) were treated by pollicization (using the Buck-Gramcko technique). Four cases of type I or II hypoplasia were treated by opponensplasty and tendon transfer (for extensor and abductor augmentation). The Mehta scoring system was used for analysis of outcomes. RESULTS: Among nine cases, outcomes were good in five cases, fair in three cases, and poor in one case. Second operations were required due to muscle weakness and metacarpo-phalangeal joint subluxation in three cases of aplasia and one case of hypoplasia. In all cases, the range of active abduction of the thumb was more than 40degrees and pinch power was at least 40% of that on the normal side at the latest follow up. CONCLUSION: Surgical reconstruction using pollicization and opponensplasty for congenital thumb aplasia and hypoplasia, with additional surgery for muscle weakness, provided good results both functionally and cosmetically.

Restauração cirúrgica da oponência do polegar / Surgical restoration of the thumb opposition

Introdução: A perda da capacidade de oposição do polegar com os dedos longos é umgrave prejuízo funcional. Método: Doze pacientes com perda da oponência por diversascausas foram submetidos à oponencioplastia utilizando-se as técnicas de transferência doextensor próprio do indicador (Burkhalter-Finochietto), do abdutor do dedo mínimo (Huber)ou de um tendão flexor superficial do terceiro ou quarto dedos (Bunnell modificada).Todos os pacientes foram avaliados no pré-operatório e acompanhados no pós-operatórioseguindo um mesmo protocolo. Resultados: Os resultados foram avaliados de acordocom o escore de Kapandji e os critérios de Sundaraji e Mani. Houve ganhos funcionais emonze pacientes. Conclusão: Concluiu-se que bons resultados podem ser alcançados independentementeda técnica cirúrgica utilizada, desde que seja realizada criteriosa avaliaçãoclínica pré-operatória e os princípios básicos para transferência tendínea sejam respeitados.

Introduction: Loss of the thumb’s ability to oppose the fingertips constitutes seriousfunctional damage. Method: Twelve patients with loss of opposition due to varied causeswere submitted to an opponensplasty consisting of either transference of extensor indicisproprius (Burkhalter-Finochietto), abdutor digiti quinti (Huber), or a flexor digitorumsuperficialis (modified Bunnell). All patients were submitted to preoperative assessmentand were followed-up postoperatively using the same protocol. Resultados: Results wereevaluated according to Kapandji’s score and the Sundaraji and Mani criteria. Functionalimprovement was observed in eleven patients. Conclusion: We concluded that good resultscan be achieved irrespective of the technique employed, so long as careful preoperativeevaluation is conducted and the basic principles of tendinous transference are respected.

Opponensplasty with Palmaris Longus in Carpal Tunnel Release / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Thumb opposition is essential for all precision handling, in daily activity. Thenar muscle wasting is common in long-standing severe carpal tunnel compression. Unfortunately, muscle wasting rarely recovers after decompression of the nerve. A single-stage procedure, combining carpal tunnel release and opponensplasty, is therefore a logical proposal. Between July of 1993 and May of 1996, 15 patients of carpal tunnel syndrome with thenar muscle atrophy were operated upon Camitz-Littler opponensplasty at Kyungpook University Hospital; combination of palmaris longus transfer and median nerve decompression as a simultaneous procedure. Postoperative thumb opposition was assessed by means of three separate indices-maximal palmar abduction, spatial rotation, thumb-to-finger apposition. Results for an average post-operative follow-up of 12.0 months were achieved 'good' by 86.7%. We concluded that palmaris longus transfer as an opponensplasty carried out in combination with carpal tunnel release is a simple and effective procedure for restoration of opposition in case of severe carpal tunnel syndrome.

Oppeonensplasty in Patients with Nerve Injury or Congenital Hypoplasia of Thumb / 대한정형외과학회잡지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of various types of opponensplasties which have been performed for the last 15 years. For the patients who had median nerve injury with or without ulnar nerve injury, we usually transferred the ECRL or ECRB to restore thumb opposition and Huber s procedure were usually done for thumb hypoplasia. With the criteria outlined by Sundararaj and Mani, postoperative function of 27 hands from 23 patients who underwent the opponensplasty from March 1981 to March 1995 were evaluated. The results from each etiology group were analyzed by the same criteria. Also subjective opinion of the patients about the scar were investigated by our own criteria. The analysis from overall 27 hands yielded 19 excellent (70.4%), 4 good (14.8%), 3 fair (11.1%), and 1 poor (3.7%) results with Sundararaj and Mani s criteria and 1 excellent (3.7%), 14 good (81.5%), 3 fair (11.1%), and 1 poor (3.7%) results about the scar. In 11 patients with nerve injury (median nerve with or without ulnar nerve injury), 7 excellent and 2 fair results were yielded by the ECRL or ECRB transfer, 1 excellent by Phalen-Miller's procedure, and 1 excellent by Burkhalter's procedure. In 8 patients with congenital hypoplastic thumb, 7 excellent results were yielded by Huber's procedure and 1 excellent by the ECRB transfer. In 8 patients with residual poliomyelitis or brachial plexus injury, the ECRB transfer yielded 3 excellent results. However, 2 good and 1 fair results were obtained by Bunnell's procedure; and l good, l poor by Camitz's procedure. In summary, the ECRL or ECRB transfer in the patients who had neuropathy, such as median with or without ulnar nerve injury, brachial plexus injury or residual poliomyelitis; and Huber's procedure in congenital hypoplastic thumb were thought to be one of the useful methods for the restoration of the thumb opposition.

Opponensplasty in Leprosy / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Although the incidence of leprosy is decreased considerably, the deformity and disability of it is serioues. In the hand, combined median and ulnar nerve affection is most common, and it leads to many problems including opposition dysfunction and claw hand deformity. And opposition dysfunction is most significant disability in the hand function, so its correction or reconstruction is mandatory We performed 20 cases of opponensplasty from Oct. 91 to Apr. 94 at National Medical Center, and analyzed its results according to new assessment criteria invented by authors, and evaluated the efficacy of the operative treatments. The results were as follows: 1. The patients were 9 males and 11 females, average age was 48 years old, and average duration of paralysis was 28 years. The mean follow-up period was 2.8 years. And most common type of nerve affection was combined low median and high ulnar nerves. 2. We performed 18 cases of Burkhalter opponensplasty using extensor indicis proprius and 2 cases of Riordan opponensplasty using ring finger sublimis at the leprosy hands. 3. According to authors assessment criteria for leprosy hand, the result of operative treatment was excellent in two, good in ten, fair in seven, and poor in two patients. So we obtained more than good results in 50% patients. 4. We could obtain good result with Burkhalter opponensplasty in leprosy hand, especially when combined with proper preoperative physical therapy and adjuvant operation for release of contracture and joint stiffness.

Opponensplasty / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Opposition of the thumb is necessary for pinch-one of the three most important functions of the hand. Frequently, opposition is either partially or totally lost in poliomyelitis or median nerve palsy. Several types of operations have been devised for restoration of opposition, and in 1973, Burkhalter et al. announced extensor indicis proprius opponensplasty: the tendon of extensor indicis proprius is brought out in the area of the pisiform and then passed against subcutaneously across the palm to the thumb, being attached to the abductor pollicis brevis and extensor pollicis longus tendon. It is useful in the case of loss of opposition without available finger flexor or wrist motors. Of nine patients who underwent operation-one with Riordan and eight with Burkhalter type of opponensplasty-at National Medical Center, seven had excellent results: one had a fair, and another one had a poor result. Six patients were with low combined median and ulnar nerve injury: one with high combined median and ulnar nerve injury: one with brachial plexus injury: and one with myotmesis of the thenar muscles. From the results, we conclude that Burkhalter type of opponensplasty makes satisfactory result for the hand without opposition movement; it is indicated in high median nerve injury and any combined median and ulnar nerve injury6; early restoration of opposition to the thumb in median nerve injury and in those limbs with multiple tissue trauma adds immeasurably to the over-all early rehabilitative effort.