The Effect of Forearm Shortening on Forearm Range of Motion.

PURPOSE: Osseous shortening of the forearm is performed during forearm replantation; however, no large clinical reviews have discussed its effects on patient outcomes. A recent cadaver study demonstrated the progressive loss of forearm pronation/supination ranges of motion with increased shortening lengths using external fixation. Our study aimed to quantify the effects of shortening on passive forearm motion using internal fixation after 2, 4, and 6 cm of mid-forearm shortening. METHODS: A volar Henry approach and direct approach to the ulna were used on 8 cadaveric specimens. The forearms were sequentially shortened by 2, 4, and 6 cm. Fixation was performed on the volar surfaces of the radius and ulna. Pronation and supination of the forearms were tested by applying 1 Nm of torque at baseline and after the fixation of both the radius and ulna using osteotomy. Radiographs and measurements were obtained at each phase to determine the maximum radial bow and radioulnar gap. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Greater shortening of the radius and ulna led to progressively greater reductions in both pronation and supination range of motion. Larger differences were seen in supination at 2-4 cm of shortening and in pronation at 4-6 cm of shortening. Changes in supination were found to be associated with the radial bow and radioulnar gap; changes in pronation were found to be associated with the radial bow and radial bow's location. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that quantifiable effects on passive forearm motion occur after osseous shortening of the forearm. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This information may improve surgeons' and patients' understanding of the changes in forearm motion expected after shortening in the setting of replantation or tumor resection or in the setting of limb salvage of a mangled extremity.

Twenty-Year Review of a Single Surgeon's Experience Using a Unique Surgical Technique to Correct Lambdoidal Synostosis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous techniques for the surgical management of lambdoidal synostosis have been previously described; however, no best practice technique currently exists. Surgical procedures range from complete posterior calvarial reconstruction to distraction osteogenesis techniques. Our primary purpose is to describe a novel approach to correct unilateral or bilateral lambdoidal synostosis. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on a single surgeon's experience with craniosynostosis (1994-2014). Specifically, craniosynostosis cases involving the lambdoidal suture, which were repaired using a novel 'tongue and groove' technique, were identified. RESULTS: A total of 664 craniosynostosis cases were retrieved, with 21 primarily involving the lambdoidal suture (3.2%). Of these, 18 were unilateral and 3 were bilateral lambdoidal synostosis. Male-to-female ratio was 3:1. Average age of first encounter with a craniofacial physician was 33 weeks (8 months). Average age at time of surgery was 43 weeks (10.75 months). Complications of this technique included 1 patient who experienced refusion of his lambdoidal suture and fusion of his sagittal suture, and 4 who returned for bone graft coverage of full-thickness calvarial defects owing to a lack of complete reossification. CONCLUSION: The "tongue and groove" technique represents a novel method for the management of lambdoidal synostosis with good esthetic outcomes, allowing immediate cranial stabilization with increased skull volume. This technique, used by the senior author for >20 years, provides a reproducible and reliable method of correcting lambdoidal synostosis.

Aesthetic Breast Surgery and Concomitant Procedures: Incidence and Risk Factors for Major Complications in 73,608 Cases.

Background: Major complications following aesthetic breast surgery are uncommon and thus assessment of risk factors is challenging. Objectives: To determine the incidence and risk factors of major complications following aesthetic breast surgery and concomitant procedures. Methods: A prospective cohort of patients who enrolled into the CosmetAssure (Birmingham, AL) insurance program and underwent aesthetic breast surgery between 2008 and 2013 was identified. Major complications (requiring reoperation, readmission, or emergency room visit) within 30 days of surgery were recorded. Risk factors including age, smoking, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, type of surgical facility, and combined procedures were evaluated. Results: Among women, augmentation was the most common breast procedure (n = 41,651, 58.6%) followed by augmentation-mastopexy, mastopexy, and reduction. Overall, major complications occurred in 1.46% with hematoma (0.99%) and infection (0.25%) being most common. Augmentation-mastopexy had a higher risk of complications, particularly infection (relative risk [RR] 1.74, P < 0.01), than single breast procedures. Age was the only significant predictor for hematomas (RR 1.01, P < 0.01). Increasing age (RR 1.02, P = 0.03) and BMI (RR 1.09, P < 0.01) were risk factors for infection. Concomitant abdominoplasty was performed in 4162 (5.8%) female patients and was associated with increased risk of complications compared to breast procedures or abdominoplasty performed alone. Among men, correction of gynecomastia was the most common breast procedure (n = 1613, 64.6%) with a complication rate of 1.80% and smoking as a risk factor (RR 2.73, P = 0.03). Conclusions: Incidence of major complications after breast cosmetic surgical procedures is low. Risk factors for major complications include increasing age and BMI. Combining abdominoplasty with any breast procedure increases the risk of major complications. Level of Evidence: 2.

Safety of Aesthetic Surgery in the Overweight Patient: Analysis of 127,961 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 70% of US adults are overweight or obese (body mass index, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)), and more such patients are seeking aesthetic surgery. Previous studies have evaluated surgical risk in obese (BMI ≥ 30) or morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 40) patients, with mixed results. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates BMI 25 to 29.9 and BMI ≥ 30 as independent risk factors of major complications following aesthetic surgery in a large, prospective, multi-center database. METHODS: A prospective cohort of patients undergoing aesthetic surgery between 2008 and 2013 was identified from the CosmetAssure database (Birmingham, AL). BMI was evaluated as a risk factor for major complications, defined as complications requiring an emergency room visit, hospital admission, or reoperation within 30 days of the procedure. Multivariate analysis controlled for variables including age, gender, smoking, diabetes, combined procedures, and type of surgical facility. RESULTS: Of the 127,961 patients, 36.2% had BMI ≥ 25. Overweight patients were more likely to be male (12.5%), diabetic (3.3%), nonsmokers (92.8%), or have multiple procedures (41%). Complication rate steadily increased with BMI: 1.4% (BMI < 18.5); 1.6% (18.5-24.9); 2.3% (25-29.9); 3.1% (30-39.9); 4.2% (≥40). Infection (0.8%), venous thromboembolism (VTE, 0.4%), and pulmonary dysfunction (0.2%) were twice as common among overweight patients. Incidence of hematoma was similar in the two groups (0.9%). Complications following abdominoplasty (3.5%), liposuction (0.9%), lower body lift (8.8%), or combined breast and body procedures (4.2%) were significantly higher in overweight patients. On multivariate analysis, being overweight (BMI 25-29.9) or obese (BMI ≥ 30) were independent predictors of any complication (Relative Risk, RR 1.17 and 1.51), especially infection (RR 1.63 and 2.73), and VTE (RR 1.67 and 2.56). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight (BMI 25-29.9) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30) are both independent risk factors for post-operative infection and VTE in aesthetic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2: Risk.

Axonal fusion via conduit-based delivery of hydrophilic polymers.

BACKGROUND: Hydrophilic polymers have been shown to improve physiologic recovery following repair of transected nerves with microsutures. Our study was designed to combine hydrophilic polymer therapy with nerve tubes (NT) to enhance polymer delivery to the site of nerve injury. METHODS: Using a rat sciatic nerve injury model, a single transection injury was repaired in an end-to-end fashion with NT + polyethylene glycol (PEG) to NT alone. Compound action potentials (CAPs) were recorded before nerve transection and after repair. Behavioral testing was performed for 5 weeks. RESULTS: PEG therapy restored CAPS in all, but one, animals, while no CAPS were recorded in animals not receiving PEG. Behavioral nerve function was measured using the standardized functional assessment technique and foot fault asymmetry scores (FF). FF scores were improved for the PEG therapy groups on postoperative days 7, 14, and 21. However, after expected eventual axonal outgrowth, the benefit was less noticeable at days 28 and 35. Immunohistochemistry of the distal axon segments showed an increase number of sensory and motor axons in the NT + PEG group as compared to NT alone. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that PEG delivery via a conduit may provide a simple, effective way to fuse severed axons and regain early nerve function. For proximal nerve injuries in large animals, recovery of axonal continuity could dramatically improve outcomes, even if fusion only occurs in a small percentage of axons.

Adjuvant neurotrophic factors in peripheral nerve repair with chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-reduced acellular nerve allografts.

BACKGROUND: Acellular nerve allografts are now standard tools in peripheral nerve repair because of decreased donor site morbidity and operative time savings. Preparation of nerve allografts involves several steps of decellularization and modification of extracellular matrix to remove chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), which have been shown to inhibit neurite outgrowth through a poorly understood mechanism involving RhoA and extracellular matrix-integrin interactions. Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) is an enzyme that degrades CSPG molecules and has been shown to promote neurite outgrowth after injury of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Variable results after ChABC treatment make it difficult to predict the effects of this drug in human nerve allografts, especially in the presence of native extracellular signaling molecules. Several studies have shown cross-talk between neurotrophic factor and CSPG signaling pathways, but their interaction remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the adjuvant effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on neurite outgrowth postinjury in CSPG-reduced substrates and acellular nerve allografts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: E12 chicken DRG explants were cultured in medium containing ChABC, ChABC + NGF, ChABC + GDNF, or control media. Explants were imaged at 3 d and neurite outgrowths measured. The rat sciatic nerve injury model involved a 1-cm sciatic nerve gap that was microsurgically repaired with ChABC-pretreated acellular nerve allografts. Before implantation, nerve allografts were incubated in NGF, GDNF, or sterile water. Nerve histology was evaluated at 5 d and 8 wk postinjury. RESULTS: The addition of GDNF in vitro produced significant increase in sensory neurite length at 3 d compared with ChABC alone (P < 0.01), whereas NGF was not significantly different from control. In vivo adjuvant NGF produced increases in total myelinated axon count (P < 0.005) and motor axon count (P < 0.01), whereas significantly reducing IB4+ nociceptor axon count (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences produced by in vivo adjuvant GDNF. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides initial evidence that CSPG-reduced nerve grafts may disinhibit the prosurvival effects of NGF in vivo, promoting motor axon outgrowth and reducing regeneration of specific nociceptive neurons. Our results support further investigation of adjuvant NGF therapy in CSPG-reduced acellular nerve grafts.

Blocking the P2X7 receptor improves outcomes after axonal fusion.

BACKGROUND: Activation of the P2X7 receptor on peripheral neurons causes the formation of pannexin pores, which allows the influx of calcium across the cell membrane. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and methylene blue have previously been shown to delay Wallerian degeneration if applied during microsuture repair of the severed nerve. Our hypothesis is that by modulating calcium influx via the P2X7 receptor pathway, we could improve PEG-based axonal repair. The P2X7 receptor can be stimulated or inhibited using bz adenosine triphosphate (bzATP) or brilliant blue (FCF), respectively. METHODS: A single incision rat sciatic nerve injury model was used. The defect was repaired using a previously described PEG methylene blue fusion protocol. Experimental animals were treated with 100 µL of 100 µM FCF solution (n = 8) or 100 µL of a 30 µM bzATP solution (n = 6). Control animals received no FCF, bzATP, or PEG. Compound action potentials were recorded prior to transection (baseline), immediately after repair, and 21 d postoperatively. Animals underwent behavioral testing 3, 7, 14, and 21 d postoperatively. After sacrifice, nerves were fixed, sectioned, and immunostained to allow for counting of total axons. RESULTS: Rats treated with FCF showed an improvement compared with control at all time points (n = 8) (P = 0.047, 0.044, 0.014, and 0.0059, respectively). A statistical difference was also shown between FCF and bzATP at d 7 (P < 0.05), but not shown with d 3, 14, and 21 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Blocking the P2X7 receptor improves functional outcomes after PEG-mediated axonal fusion.