Percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve replacement: first transapical implant in Asia.

Percutaneous transcatheter implantation of the aortic valve has been demonstrated as an alternative to open heart surgery in high-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are not suitable for open surgery. The majority of these new devices are delivered via the transfemoral approach. However, due to the current size of delivery sheaths, the small and tortuous iliofemoral anatomy makes this approach challenging. The transapical approach provides a viable option for this patient subgroup. The first-in-Asia transcatheter aortic valve implantation via the transapical route is described. A 79-year-old Chinese woman with symptomatic severe AS and peripheral arterial disease, who was at high surgical risk, was successfully treated, and had good functional and haemodynamic results at the three-month follow-up.

Percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve replacement: first transfemoral implant in Asia.

Surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the standard of care for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS), providing relief of symptoms and prolonging survival. However, many patients are either denied or not offered surgery due to high surgical risk or non-operability for open AVR. The technology of percutaneous aortic valve implantation emerged in 2002, and has since evolved rapidly with satisfactory results. Currently, almost all the procedures are performed predominantly in Europe and North America. The first-in-Asia percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve implantation via the transfemoral route is described. A 77-year-old man with symptomatic severe AS and at high surgical risk was successfully treated, with sustained clinical improvement and satisfactory haemodynamic results at 30-day follow-up.

Optimum tensioning position for extensor indicis to extensor pollicis longus transfer.

This study evaluates various wrist and thumb positions for tensioning the extensor indicis proprius when transferred to the extensor pollicis longus tendon to determine which positions provide optimum passive range of flexion and extension of the thumb. In five adult cadaver upper limbs, transfer of the extensor indicis proprius to the extensor pollicis longus was simulated. The limbs were fixed with the elbow in 90 degrees flexion and the forearm and wrist in neutral. Surface bone markers were digitized to determine the thumb and wrist positions in three-dimensional space and their intersegmental joint angles. Twelve combinations of thumb (the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints) and wrist positions for tensioning were tested. A fixed tension of 80 N was applied to the tendon ends for each of the tensioning positions and during the transfer to ensure that the tendon remained taut. A wrist tenodesis effect was used subsequently to assess the passive range of thumb motion as an indicator of the outcome of the transfer. The results showed that the better tensioning position was with the thumb fully extended and the wrist in neutral. In six patients in whom an extensor indicis proprius to extensor pollicis longus transfer was done, the tendons were tensioned with the thumb in full extension and the wrist in neutral. A prospective review and functional assessment at an average of 18.6 months' followup was done. No significant differences between the surgically treated and normal thumbs were seen for the Jebsen Taylor, 9-peg, and grip and pinch strength tests. The study suggests that in an extensor indicis proprius to extensor pollicis longus transfer, tensioning of the tendons with the thumb in full extension and the wrist in neutral gives good thumb flexion and extension range.

Reconstruction of a supinated hypoplastic thumb with combined Huber transfer and derotation osteotomy: a case report.

The use of the abductor digiti minimi transfer to restore opposition in patients with hypoplasia of the thumb has been widely described in the literature. It has been found to be effective in restoring abduction, but less so in restoring the rotational component of opposition. In cases where there is concomitant supination of the thumb, abductor digiti minimi transfer alone would not result in a good pinch as the thumb pulp is rotated away from the opposing finger. We present a case of a 6-year-old girl with a hypoplastic supinated left thumb which resembled a digit. There was also hypoplasia of the index finger. The hand had poor function as a result of lack of opposition of the thumb. The thumb function was restored by combining a derotational osteotomy (80 degrees) with the abductor digiti minimi transfer originally described by Huber. Patient was able to hold small object using key pinch and she could pinch with opposition of the thumb pulp to the middle, ring and little finger pulps when reviewed 2 years post-surgery.