Safety of immediate open traumatic extensor tendon repair performed at an emergency department minor procedure room.

INTRODUCTION: The superficial location of the extensor tendons makes them particularly vulnerable to lacerations. Patients most commonly present to the emergency department (ED) after these injuries. We aimed to measure the safety of immediate surgical repair of traumatic open extensor tendon injuries in an ED minor procedure room (MPR) under local anesthesia, and the associated post-operative infection and complication rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all patients undergoing traumatic open extensor tendon repairs in the ED MPR over a 3.75-years period. Data collected included demographic information, comorbidities, mechanism of injury, additional procedures performed, and post-operative complications. All patients were operated under local anesthesia by a hand surgery fellow aided by an ED technician. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty eight patients (278 tendons) were treated for extensor tendon injuries during the study period. 220 patients (245 tendons) have complied with follow-up. No intra-procedural medical complications were encountered. The post-operative infection rate was 1.4%. The rate of other post-operative complications was not related to the number of tendons repaired, additional digit involvement, or if the nature of the injury was work-related. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, traumatic extensor tendon repairs performed in an ED MPR were found to be medically safe and to associate with a low postoperative infection rate. As preoperative assessment is simple and practical, and limited medical personnel is utilized, this surgical setting may enable us to reduce medical costs.

A Comparison of Parenteral and Per-Oral Antibiotic Usage in Pyogenic Flexor Tenosynovitis: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Pyogenic flexor tenosynovitis (PFT) is a common hand infection that can cause significant morbidity. Although treatment involves surgical debridement and inpatient intravenous (IV) antibiotics, there is a paucity of literature guiding antibiotic use. This study aims to determine if the use of postoperative outpatient oral antibiotics leads to poor outcomes compared to IV antibiotics given in an institutional setting. Methods A retrospective review of 110 patients treated post-operatively with either outpatient oral or inpatient IV antibiotics at our institution from 2016-2019 was performed. All patients underwent surgical debridement. Primary outcomes analyzed included readmission, repeat surgery, and amputation. Clinical parameters including age, diabetes, smoking, duration of symptoms, involvement of surrounding structures (felon, dorsal abscess, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis), culture growth, Michon classification, and duration of antibiotics were analyzed as possible risk factors for poor outcome. The level of evidence of this study is Level 3 Retrospective Cohort Study. Results Seventy-five patients were treated with outpatient oral antibiotics and 35 patients were treated with inpatient IV antibiotics. The oral antibiotics group received antibiotics for 13.1 +/- 9.9 days compared to 18.1 +/-10.4 days in the IV antibiotic group. Patients in the oral antibiotic group had a significantly shorter length of hospitalization at 0.6 +/-1.8 days compared to 3.6 +/-1.8 days in the IV antibiotic group. The readmission rate for the oral antibiotic group was 10.7% compared to 5.7% in the IV antibiotic group. This difference was not statistically significant except in patients who had involvement in surrounding structures. There was no significant difference in repeat surgeries or amputations between the groups. Conclusions The use of outpatient oral antibiotics after surgical debridement for PFT does not significantly increase rates of readmission, repeat surgery, or amputation, except in cases with the involvement of surrounding structures. On subgroup analysis, anaerobic infection and diabetes were significantly associated with amputations. Post-operative oral antibiotics and immediate discharge may be considered for PFT after adequate surgical debridement with close outpatient follow-up in the absence of surrounding structure involvement and diabetes.

Current Status of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation.

The field of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has moved from a highly experimental procedure to, at least for some patients, one of the best treatment alternatives for catastrophic tissue loss or dysfunction. Although the worldwide experience is still limited, progress has been made in translation to the clinic, and hand transplantation was recently designated standard of care and is now covered in full by the British Health System. This progress is tempered by the long-term challenges of systemic immunosuppression, and the rapidly evolving indications for VCA such as urogenital transplantation. This update will cover the state of and recent changes in the field, and an update of the Louisville VCA program as our initial recipient, the first person to receive a hand transplant in the United States celebrates the 20th anniversary of his transplant. The achievements and complications encountered over the last two decades will be reviewed. In addition, potential directions for research and collaboration as well as practical issues of how third party payers and funding are affecting growth of the field are presented.

The role of B cell immunity in VCA graft rejection and acceptance.

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has emerged as the most recent field of transplantation to offer an alternative treatment for those patients that have failed or are not suitable candidates for conventional therapy. Most of the current clinical experience in this field is with recipients of skin containing grafts such as the face, upper extremity and abdominal wall transplants. Like solid organ recipients, VCA recipients require lifelong systematic immunosuppression to maintain their grafts. To date, the most successful immunosuppressant regimens are calcineurin inhibitor based and have been targeted to the control of T cells. While these regimens have resulted in excellent short term graft survival in solid organ transplantation, achieving significant improvements in long term survival has been more challenging. The reasons are multi-factorial, but a role for B cells and humoral immunity has been proposed. Antibody mediated rejection leading to chronic rejection has been cited as the leading cause of renal graft loss. While the number of VCA transplants performed is still small, evidence to date suggests that antibody mediated rejection may occur less frequently than seen in solid organ transplants. Here we will discuss the role of B cell immunity in solid organ transplantation as it pertains and contrasts to the field of VCA and present some examples of possible sequela of B cell immunity in a series of hand transplant recipients.

Compresión del nervio mediano en el túnel del carpo en una paciente de 16 años. Reporte de caso / Compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel in a 16 year-old: A case report

Introducción El síndrome del túnel del carpo es la patología nerviosa compresiva mas frecuente del miembro superior. En niños es una entidad infrecuente, en la mayoría de las ocasiones esta asociado principalmente a una alteración de origen genético como la mucopolisacaridosis, puede ser de origen idiopático, traumático, infeccioso asociado patologías sistémicas y ocupación del túnel del carpo. Reporte del caso Se trata de una paciente femenina de 16 años de edad con dolor en la mano izquierda de un año de evolución, presenta hipoestesia y parestesia de la punta de los dedos sin evento traumatico previo. El examen físico no es conclusivo, aunque altamente sospecho de patología neurológica compresiva. Mediante electrodiagnóstico e imagenología se realiza el diagnóstico de síndrome del túnel del carpo por secundario a ganglión en el piso del túnel. El tratamiento mas recomendado en este tipo fue la liberación quirúrgica y resección del ganglión. Discusión El diagnóstico del síndrome del túnel del carpo en niños y adolescentes es de difícil diagnóstico dado por la amplia sintomatología, una vez diagnósticado el síndrome del túnel del carpo, el tratamiento más recomendado según esta causa es la liberación quirúrgica del túnel del carpo y resección del ganglión. El síndrome del túnel del carpo es una patología infrecuente en los niños, se debe realizar estudios complementarios para realizar un diagnóstico adecuado y un tratamiento efectivo. Es infrecuente que después de la liberación del túnel del carpo exista persistencia de la sintomatología neurológica distal.

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most frequent nerve compression disorder of the upper limb. It is uncommon in children and in the majority of cases it is mainly associated with an alteration of genetic origin such as mucopolysaccharidosis. It can be of an idiopathic, traumatic, infectious origin, associated with systemic infectious diseases and occupation of the carpal tunnel. Case report The case is presented on a 16 year-old female patient with pain in the left hand for a year, with hypoesthesia and paraesthesia of the fingertips, with no previous traumatic event. The physical examination was not conclusive, although a nerve compression disorder was highly suspected. Using electrodiagnosis and imaging, the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome was made that was secondary to a ganglion identified on the floor of the tunnel. The most recommended treatment in this type of condition is surgical release and resection of the ganglion. Discussion Carpal tunnel syndrome in children and adolescents is difficult to diagnose due to the wide range of symptoms. Once the carpal tunnel syndrome has been diagnosed, the most recommended treatment according to this cause is the surgical release of the carpal tunnel and resection of the ganglion. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an infrequent condition in children. Complementary studies should be performed to make an adequate diagnosis and an effective treatment. After the release of the carpal tunnel it rare for the neurological symptomatology to persist.

Total joint arthroplasty of the distal radioulnar joint for rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of primary total distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) replacement as well as reconstruction following ulnar head excision in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Seventeen patients with RA underwent 19 total DRUJ replacement between 2005 and 2011. Mean age at the time of the surgery was 57 years. Mean follow-up was 39 months (range, 12-79 mo). Pain level was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). Pronation and supination were recorded before and after surgery. A patient satisfaction survey was used, as well as postoperative Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and Patient-Related Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) scores. Ulnar translocation of the carpus was assessed radiographically, and the presence or absence of radiolucent zones around the implant were recorded. RESULTS: The preoperative average VAS score for the 19 joints was 7.3. Pain decreased after surgery to 2.2. Pronation improved from 56° before surgery to 78° afterward, a 39% improvement. Supination improved from 57° before surgery to 71° afterward, a 27% improvement. Final scores were 24 for the DASH and 24 for the PRWE. Fifteen patients reported substantial pain relief. All patients were satisfied with their surgical result. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that total replacement of the DRUJ is of benefit to the patient with RA. Pronation was significantly increased and supination was increased but did not approach significance. Improvement in VAS score suggests that pain was decreased. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Radioscapholunate arthrodesis using low-profile dorsal pi plate.

Radioscapholunate arthrodesis is a desirable method to treat isolated radiolunate arthritis or ulnar translocation of the carpal bones. An intact midcarpal joint is a prerequisite for functional range of motion. Previously, high rates of nonunion were observed with these procedures, as rigid fixation was difficult to obtain with simple Kirschner wires and screws. A successful outcome depends on bringing the scaphoid, lunate, and the radius to an anatomic alignment, and rigid fixation of the arthrodesis. We describe a technique for the arthrodesis of the radioscapholunate joint from the dorsal side using a low-profile locking Pi plate. We observed the advantages of an easy approach, better visualization of the joint, and easier manipulation of the carpal bones. The Pi plate fits on the scaphoid, lunate, and the radius with minimal adjustment. It is not necessary to remove the Lister's tubercle. Pi plate allows for rigid fixation and compression between the scaphoid, lunate, and the radius by 1 compression and 1 locking screw in scaphoid and lunate, and by 2 eccentric compression screws in the radius. Rectangular retinacular flaps were used under and over the extensor tendons. We performed these arthrodeses in patients with lunate fossa arthritis after a distal radius fracture, and with ulnar translocation of the carpus. We have observed excellent clinical results with about 50% of wrist motion preserved and no cases of nonunion or delayed union.