Versatilidad anatómica del colgajo lateral del brazo. Estudio cadavérico en una muestra de población colombiana / Anatomical versatility of the lateral arm flap. Cadaver study in a sample of the Colombian population

Introducción y objetivo: El colgajo lateral del brazo es un recurso de cobertura para el cirujano de mano que tiene una amplia variedad de usos y aplicaciones por su versatilidad y facilidad de recolección con poca morbilidad del sitio donante. El objetivo de este estudio es documentar las principales variantes anatómicas y establecer puntos de referencias para el desarrollo y mejoramiento de las técnicas quirúrgicas actuales en una muestra de población colombiana. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo anatómico de 10 miembros superiores de cadáveres frescos congelados en los que realizamos disecciones para documentar las principales perforantes del colgajo lateral del brazo en población colombiana. Tomamos mediciones de distancia de las perforantes al epicóndilo lateral y sacamos proporciones según porcentajes del tamaño de la extremidad. Igualmente, cuantificamos número de perforantes en cada cuadrante y diámetro de los pedículos. Resultados: En el colgajo lateral del brazo, el orden de aparición de las perforantes de distal a proximal correspondió al 13, 19, 26 y 35% de la distancia del brazo (entre el epicóndilo y el acromion); en el segundo cuadrante encontramos la mayoría de las perforantes, la segunda y la cuarta, tuvieron menor variación con respecto a las demás perforantes, los pedículos proximales presentaron un mayor diámetro que los distales. Encontramos el nervio radial a la salida del tabique intermuscular en promedio a 14.08 cm (+/- 0.83) del epicóndilo, siendo esta referencia clave para una disección cuidadosa con el fin de evitar la lesión del mismo. Conclusiones: En nuestra población de estudio, el colgajo lateral del brazo posee una gran versatilidad, con un buen número de perforantes para su nutrición que le permite al cirujano múltiples opciones de cobertura...(AU)

Background and objective: The lateral arm flap is a coverage resource for the hand surgeon that has a wide variety of uses and applications due to its versatility and ease of collection with little morbidity from the donor site. The aim of this research is to carry out dissections of the lateral arm flap in cadavers of the Colombian population to describe the main anatomical vari-ants and establish reference points for the development and improvement of current surgical techniques. Methods: Anatomical descriptive study of 10 upper limbs from fresh-frozen cadavers in which dissections were performed to document the main perforators of the lateral flap of the arm in the Colombian population. Distance measurements were taken from the perforators to the lateral epicondyle and ratios were obtained according to percentages of limb size. Likewise, the number of perforators in each quadrant and the diameter of the pedicles were quantified. Results: The results showed that in the lateral arm flap the order of appearance of the perforators from distal to proximal corresponds to 13, 19, 26 and 35% of the distance of the arm (between the epicondyle and the acromion); most of the perforators were found in the second quadrant, the second and fourth have less variation compared to the other perforators, the proximal pedicles have a larger diameter than the distal ones, the radial nerve was found at the exit the intermuscular septum on average 14.08 cm (+/- 0.83) from the epicondyle, this is a key reference for a careful dissection in order to avoid injury to it. Conclusions: In our study population, the lateral arm flap is highly versatile with a good number of perforators for its nutrition, which allows the surgeon multiple coverage options. The bone perforators of the distal humerus must be protected in the most distal portion to avoid complications such as bone necrosis, especially in children...(AU)

Prognostic Factors of Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Hip Arthroplasty in a Developing Country: A Multilevel Analysis with a 4-Year Cohort Study.

Introduction: This study is aimed at estimating the 30-day postoperative mortality rate and total costs of the medical episode, as well as determining prognostic factors associated with these outcomes for adult patients who have undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA) in Colombia's contributory health system. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort using administrative data and included adult patients enrolled in Colombia's contributory health system who underwent THA between the years 2011 and 2014. Outcomes were 30-day mortality ICU admissions, and the 1-year rate of fractures and revisions as well as the total cost of the medical episode incurred by the third-payer for 90 days following the procedure. Multilevel linear regression models were also generated to determine the prognostic factors associated with the outcomes presented. Results: The study included 17,289 patients, with an average age of 67 years. Outcome rates were calculated per 100 surgeries, resulting in 2.15 for mortality, 3.41 for ICU admissions, 2.42 for revision hip arthroplasty and 0.62 for periprosthetic fractures. This study found the age and Charlson Comorbidity Index were associated with mortality and complications, and that being female and performing the procedure in the capital city were protective factors. It also found that the median total cost of the medical episode was USD $ USD$2742.161 (p25-p75: 353.092-3291.747). The multivariate model found increasing trends in cost as age and CCI scores rose, and higher costs in the Atlantic region. Conclusions: Colombia has higher rates of complications from THA than other countries but lower health system costs. For these patients, age, CCI and the geographic region are factors that are associated with mortality, complications, and health system costs.

Transfer of Motor Fascicle From the Median to the Axillary Nerve for Upper Brachial Plexus Injury: A Surgical Technique and Case Report.

Upper brachial plexus injury or isolated lesions of the axillary nerve (AN) compromise shoulder functionality significantly. Different surgical techniques have been described for selective reconstruction of the AN, with good results especially in association with repair of the suprascapular nerve. The objective of this study is to describe the transfer of motor fascicles of the median nerve to the AN by an axillary approach in cadavers and the clinical results in 2 patients. Dissections were performed on 5 cadavers, followed by identification and dissection of the AN and its divisions before entering the quadrangular space. We standardized the surgical technique in which the median nerve was first identified and then an intrafascicular dissection was performed. Then we harvested a fascicle and transferred it to the anterolateral branch of the AN. Two patients underwent an operation; at 2 years of follow-up, average abduction of 125 degrees and external rotation of 95 degrees were observed. In conclusion, the transfer of motor fascicles of the median nerve to the AN by an axillary approach could be an alternative technique for the deltoid reinnervation in upper brachial plexus injury. Some advantages are the proximity of the donor nerve to the receptor nerve and the low morbidity of the target muscles of the donor nerve. Studies with a larger number of patients are required to establish its effectiveness compared with other techniques already described.

Classification for Thumb Opposition in Children with Thumb Hypoplasia.

Background: The Kapandji scale has 10 levels and includes abduction, rotation and flexion movements. Assessing children with thumb hypoplasia, this scale is poorly understood and confusing. The objective of the study is to evaluate an opposition scale simpler and understandable for children. Methods: It is a validation study of a simplified scale to qualify the opposition of the thumb, in order to asses only the abduction - rotation but not the flexion of the metacarpo-phalangeal (MP) or interphalangeal (IF) joint. The proposed classification goes from 0 to 3 degrees, where 0: No opposition, 1: The thumb touches the middle phalanx of the 2nd finger, 2: the thumb touches the pulp of the 2nd finger and 3: the thumb touches the pulp of the 5th finger. 10 patients with thumb hypoplasia were analyzed by 9 hand surgeons and 9 orthopedic surgeons. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient shows a very good inter-observer reliability with a kappa of 0.991 (p = 0.000). When correlated by groups, the finding were very good between the hand surgeons group k = 0.980 (p = 0.000) and the orthopedic surgeons group 0.974 (p = 0.000). At 6 weeks a new evaluation was made, the intra-observer reliability was excellent k = 0.995 (p = 0.000). Conclusions: The proposed scale for the evaluation of the abductionrotation of the thumb is validated and useful in the evaluation of the results of a thumb opposition transfer with a good inter-observer and intra-observer reliability between orthopedic and hand surgeons.