[Distraction lengthening in brachymetacarpia. Case report]. / Die Distraktionsverlängerung bei der Brachymetakarpie. Fallbericht.

A 16-year-old female patient with a congenital short fourth metacarpal in the right hand was successfully treated by distraction-lengthening. A transverse osteotomy was performed with daily incremental distraction of 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and the distractor device was in place for altogether 12 weeks. The fourth metacarpal was lengthened by 2 cm. The X-ray analysis one year later demonstrated normal skeletal structure. Distraction-lengthening has a number of advantages, when compared with one- or two-stage interposition bone grafting.

[Intra-osseous epidermoid cyst]. / Die intraossäre Epidermoidzyste.

In contrast to epidermoid cysts under the skin of the palm and the fingers, intraosseous epidermoid cysts are very rare. They present in the terminal phalanges of the fingers and are posttraumatic in nature. Their clinical and X-ray presentation is similar to enchondroma and pathological fractures do occur. When operating, one must remove the capsule to prevent recurrence. Bone grafting is usually not necessary after adequate curettage. Two typical cases are presented.

[Osteosyntheses and arthrodeses of the hand. The intraosseous wire suture]. / Osteosynthesen und Arthrodesen an der Hand. Die intraossäre Drahtnaht.

The intraosseous wiring, using two wires twisted on both sides, is an essential enlargement of the operative techniques of osteosynthesis and arthrodesis at the hand skeleton. Its efficiency results from the bio-mechanical principles of tension-band stabilization and inter-fragmentary compression. Indications are transverse fractures, pseudarthroses and corrective osteotomies of the metacarpals and phalanges, interpositions of bone grafts, replantations and finger transpositions as well as arthrodesis of interphalangal joints.

[Narrow tunnel and compression syndromes of the hand]. / Engpass- und Kompressionssyndrome an der Hand.

In osteofibrous channels of the hand a disproportion of capacity and contents may cause either a restriction of the gliding of the tendon or a lesion of nerves by pressure. During a 5 year period 362 narrow pass and compression syndromes were operated. Trigger fingers were most frequent with 224 cases, followed by 85 de Quervain's diseases, 49 carpal tunnel syndromes and 4 ulnar nerve compression syndromes. These diseases can be operated in a bloodless field and under regional anaesthesia, mostly under outpatient conditions. The manifold reasons of compression syndromes call for differentiated operative procedures.

[Thrombocytopenia and thrombocytopathy in neonates and infants]. / Trombocytopenie a trombocytopatie u novorozencu a kojencu.

The authors analyze seven cases of thrombocytopenia and three cases of thrombocytopathies in neonates and infants who were hospitalized within a short period of time at the First Paediatric Clinic in Brno. The results support the view that thrombocytopenia and thrombocytopathies in neonates and infants are fairly frequent. Because they are not manifested by clinical symptoms, their frequency escapes attention.