Dorsoradial Capsulodesis for Stage I Trapeziometacarpal Joint Arthrosis.

BACKGROUND: Thumb trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint arthrosis is a common cause of thumb pain, which adversely affects hand function. Early arthrosis is characterized by capsular laxity, painful pinch and grip, and physical findings of joint tenderness and laxity. Dorsoradial capsulodesis (DRC) is a surgical technique used to stabilize the TM joint and treat early-stage arthrosis. We aim to evaluate the clinical outcomes of DRC for treating trapeziometacarpal instability in early-stage disease. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2019, 23 patients underwent DRC. Patients with stage I TM arthritis and more than 6-month postoperative follow-up were included. Pain and disability scores were calculated along with physical examination and radiographic evaluation at the final follow-up. RESULTS: At mean postoperative follow-up of 43.5 months, 13 patients with a mean age of 39.1 years were examined. The mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was 5.7, and visual analog pain score was 0.5. Patients had no significant difference in strength or range of motion in the ipsilateral versus contralateral hand. Follow-up radiographs did not demonstrate arthritic changes. CONCLUSIONS: Dorsoradial capsulodesis is a technically simple and reasonable option for stabilizing the TM joint in patients with early-stage arthrosis. This intervention showed no midterm progression to advanced arthritis in this cohort.

Pectoralis Major Tendon Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Pectoralis major tendon injuries are an uncommon injury. They can be treated with primary repair, however, when the tendon becomes retracted it necessitates tendon reconstruction. We performed a systematic review to evaluate patient characteristics, surgical techniques, and outcomes associated with pectoralis major reconstruction. A review was performed for studies published between 1990 and 2019. Peer-reviewed studies with a minimum 1-year follow-up were included. Return to activity, range of motion, complications, and functional outcome scores were primary outcomes. Fourteen primary studies with 88 total patients met inclusion criteria. All patients were male with the average age of 34.6 years-old. Hamstring autograft represented the most frequently used graft type (35). Functional outcomes demonstrated good to excellent results in the majority of patients. Pectoralis major tendon reconstruction is a viable option for tears not amenable to primary repair. We found good to excellent outcomes, and 94.2% return to sport for patients undergoing reconstruction. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 31(2):123-126, 2022).

Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgery Training Differences Manifested in the Analysis of Distal Radius Fracture Fixation.

All patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture (DRF) between the years 2010 and 2015 were isolated from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patient demographics, respective surgical volume, outcome variables, and complications were extracted. The primary outcomes were surgical time, hospital length of stay, and unplanned reoperation. A total of 6691 patients were included in the study, the majority of whom were treated by orthopaedic surgeons. While there were no significant differences in baseline demographics between the patients treated by orthopaedic and plastic surgeons, the overall operative time was significantly less for DRFs fixed by orthopaedic surgeons. While there was a significant difference for extra-articular fractures, this difference increased significantly for complex intra-articular fractures. Additionally, hospital length of stay was significantly shorter for patients treated by orthopaedic surgeons. To produce well-rounded, technically skilled surgeons, plastic surgery programs should incorporate fixation principles into their training programs. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 28(1):53-57, 2019).

Perilunate Dislocations and Perilunate Fracture Dislocations in the U.S. Military.

Background Perilunate dislocations and perilunate fracture dislocations (PLDs/PLFDs) are rare and often associated with poor outcomes. Heretofore, these outcomes have not been evaluated in a high-demand military population. Questions/Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes in a young, active population after sustaining PLD/PLFD injuries. Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the U.S. military service members who underwent surgical treatment for a PLD/PLFD (Current Procedural Terminology codes 25695 and 25685) between June 1, 2010, and June 1, 2014 through the Military Health System Management Analysis and Reporting Tool (M2) database, capturing patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patient characteristics and outcomes were gathered; however, radiographic analysis was not possible. Results In this study, 40 patients (40 wrists) were included with an average follow-up of 47.8 months. The average age was 28.8 years. Twenty-two injuries (55%) were PLFD and 22 (55%) cases involved the nondominant extremity. On initial presentation, 11 (27.5%) were missed and 50% of patients were presented with acute carpal tunnel syndrome. Range of motion (ROM) was 74% and grip strength was 65% compared with the contralateral wrist; 78% reported pain with activity and only 55% remained on active duty status at final follow-up. Injuries to the nondominant extremity were significantly more likely to experience a good to excellent outcome and regained a more ROM. Patients with ligamentous PLD had less pain at rest and were more likely to return to sport. Conclusion Worse outcomes can be expected for PLD/PLFD of the dominant extremity, transscaphoid PLFD, greater arc injuries, and those undergoing pinning alone. A high-demand patient may expect worse functional results with a higher degree of limitation postoperatively. Level of Evidence The level of evidence is therapeutic IV.

Outcomes Following Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients Receiving Workers' Compensation: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common occupational pathology, representing a high percentage of workers' compensation (WC) claims. METHODS: The literature was reviewed for all studies evaluating CTS outcomes including WC patients between 1993 and 2016. A total of 348 articles were identified; 25 of which met inclusion and exclusion criteria. A systematic review was generated; patient demographics, outcomes, and complications were recorded. Weighted averages were calculated for the demographic and outcome data. Categorical data such as complications were pooled from the studies and used to determine the overall complication rate. Statistical significance was determined between WC and non-WC cohorts when applicable with the chi-square statistic. RESULTS: The WC cohort included 1586 wrists, and the non-WC cohort included 2781 wrists. The WC cohort was younger and more often involved the dominant extremity. The WC cohort was less likely to have appropriate physical exam findings confirming diagnosis and electrodiagnostic studies. WC patients took almost 5 weeks longer to return to work, were 16% less likely to return to preinjury vocation, and had lower Standard Form (SF)-36 scores. Finally, WC patients had nearly 3 times the number of complications and nearly twice the rate of persistent pain. CONCLUSIONS: WC patients undergoing carpal tunnel release (CTR) fare poorly as compared with non-WC patients in nearly every metric. Higher rates of postoperative pain with delayed return to work can be anticipated in a WC cohort. In addition, WC patients receive suboptimal preoperative workup, and it is possible that unnecessary surgery is being completed in these cases. These findings are important to consider when treating the WC patient with CTS.

Radial Head Arthroplasty in the Active Duty Military Service Member With Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: Radial head arthroplasty (RHA) is a viable treatment for complex radial head fracture. Whereas elbow stability and function is typically restored at short- to mid-term follow-up, the outcome in higher-demand populations is not well defined. We sought to characterize the functional and occupational outcomes following RHA in an active duty military population with intense upper extremity demands. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all U.S. military service members undergoing primary RHA from 2010 and 2013 with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Patient-based, injury-related, and surgical variables were extracted from the military-wide electronic medical record. Functional and occupational outcomes including pain, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire were recorded. The primary outcomes of interest were the rate and level of return to upper extremity activity. Secondary outcome measures included return to duty, complications, and revision surgery. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were included with average age 31 years and median 37 months' follow-up. Ten were Mason III, 6 were part of a terrible triad injury, and the remainder were fracture-dislocations. At an average follow-up of 3.7 years, 15 patients returned to active military duty, and 9 resumed their regular upper extremity military function. At the time of final follow-up, the average DASH score was 13. Seven patients returned to their usual level of sport and exercise, 6 at a reduced level, and 6 did not resume physical exercises secondary to pain or stiffness. Sixteen adverse outcomes among 14 patients included symptomatic heterotopic ossification (5 of 19) and neurological sequelae (4 of 19). Three elected to have a revision procedure at an average of 13 months for heterotopic ossification or loosening. CONCLUSIONS: Among active patients with radial head fractures treated with RHA, three-quarters will return to active duty military service, push-ups, and sport; however, half may report an adverse outcome unrelated to the prosthesis and only about half of patients will return to their preinjury level of function. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Anatomically Contoured Anterior Plating for Isolated Tibiotalar Arthrodesis: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: We performed a systematic review of the published literature to characterize patient demographic, surgical techniques, and functional outcomes to elucidate the complication and revision rates following isolated tibiotalar arthrodesis with anatomically contoured anterior plating. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies in English, after 1990, at least 10 patients, and reporting clinical outcomes following contoured anterior plating and with follow-up of at least 80% and 1 year. Primary outcomes were fusion rate, time to fusion, return to activities, satisfaction, and functional outcome scores. Complication rates, reoperation, and revision were also extracted. RESULTS: Eight primary studies with 164 patients met the inclusion criteria. The average sample size was 21 ± 10.0 patients and average age was 49.2 years with 61.6% male. Posttraumatic arthritis (49.4%) was the most common operative indication, followed by primary osteoarthrosis (18.9%). The average follow-up was 21.1 months. At this time, 97.6% of patients went on to uneventful union at a weighted average time of 18.7 weeks postoperatively. AOFAS scores improved significantly ( P < .05). 25% complication rate was reported with wound complication (7.9%) and hardware irritation (6.7%) most common. Overall, 21.3% of patients underwent reoperation; 4 for revision arthrodesis following nonunion. CONCLUSION: Isolated tibiotalar arthrodesis utilizing anatomically contoured anterior plating demonstrates excellent clinical and functional outcomes at short-term follow-up. Overall, 97.6% of patients went on to fusion and functional outcomes consistently improved following surgery. Furthermore, while one-quarter of patients experienced complications, wound complications were relatively uncommon and less than one-quarter of these required surgical intervention. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level IV: Systematic Review.