Increasing Recognition of Community-Acquired, Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial Infections of the Hand and Wrist.

Background In this study, we present our experience with community-acquired, culture-positive, non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections of the hand and wrist and compare the clinical features, risk factors, diagnostic delays, and treatment outcomes among patients referred for surgical consultation at our institution over a five-year period. Methodology We retrospectively identified patients on chart review who were diagnosed with culture-positive, extrapulmonary, cutaneous NTM infections between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018. Only patients with community-acquired NTM infections of the hand and wrist were included. Patient demographics, risk factors, location, diagnostic delays, NTM species isolated, treatment modalities, and treatment outcomes were collected and analyzed. These variables were further compared between patients who participated in fishing-related activities and those who did not. Results A total of 10 patients were identified with community-acquired NTM infections of the hand or wrist. Of these patients, eight (80%) were male, and six (60%) had participated in fishing-related activities prior to the initial presentation. The majority of patients had Mycobacterium marinum isolates (n = 6, 60%) and involved the hand (n = 8, 80%). M. marinum isolates were associated with a significantly shorter time to diagnosis (p = 0.02). All patients underwent surgical management with a prolonged course of postoperative antibiotics and were cured of their infection at the end of their treatment course. Conclusions Proper risk factor documentation and heightened clinical awareness are essential to reduce delays in the diagnosis of NTM skin and soft tissue infections and provide the best chance for curative therapy.

Comparative Analysis of Open Reduction Internal Fixation and Closed Reduction Percutaneous Pinning of Hand Fractures: Single Academic Center Retrospective Review.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to compare postoperative outcomes between patients receiving closed reduction percutaneous pinning (CRPP) to open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) following metacarpal and phalanx fractures. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed at a single academic center for all patients suffering a metacarpal or phalanx fracture and receiving either CRPP or ORIF between 2012 and 2018. Patients were divided into fracture mechanism, high-energy mechanism of injury, low-energy mechanism of injury, or unknown, and treatment of fracture with either ORIF or CRPP. High-energy mechanism of injury included gunshot wounds, motor vehicle crash, and blast injuries, whereas low-energy mechanism of injury included all other causes. Patient demographics, postoperative complications, 30-day readmission, and return to the operating room were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 408 patients, with 524 fractures, were included in the study. There were 127 fractures that resulted from high-energy mechanisms and 394 fractures that resulted from low-energy mechanisms. Open reduction internal fixation was used to treat 299 fractures, whereas CRPP was used for 225 fractures. Among fracture fixation, there was a total of 8.4% complication rate with ORIF, accounting for 10.4% of complications, and CRPP accounting for 5.8%. Among the fracture mechanism, the high-energy mechanism of injury had a 21.3% complication rate, whereas the low-energy mechanism of energy was 4.3%. When comparing the above variables, only high-energy mechanism of injury was a statistically significant predictor of complications (odds ratio, 3.2; confidence interval, 1.5-7.0; P = 0.002). The average operating room time for the ORIF group was 124.82 minutes compared with 97.6 minutes for the CRPP group. CONCLUSION: Patients with hand fractures corrected by ORIF appeared to have a higher postoperative complication rate. When the 2 procedures, ORIF and CRPP, were controlled for mechanism of injury, there was not a statistically significant difference in postoperative complication rate (P = 0.14). However, a fracture sustained by a high-energy mechanism was a statistically significant predictor of postoperative complications (P = 0.002).

The need to incorporate health information technology into physicians' education and professional development.

Nationwide, as physicians and health care systems adopt electronic health records, health information technology is becoming integral to the practice of medicine. But current medical education and professional development curricula do not systematically prepare physicians to use electronic health records and the data these systems collect. We detail how training in meaningful use of electronic health records could be incorporated into physician training, from medical school, through licensure and board certification, to continuing medical education and the maintenance of licensure and board certification. We identify six near-term opportunities for professional organizations to accelerate the integration of health information technology into their requirements.