[Giant-cell tumor of the hand: midterm results in five patients]. / Tumeur à cellules géantes de la main: résultats du traitement: 5 cas au recul moyen de 7, 8 ans.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Giant-cell bone tumors are benign but have great potential for recurrence. Frequently observed in epiphyseal areas of tubular bones, these tumors are rarely found in hand localizations. We examined the characteristic features of giant-cell tumors of the hand and analyzed the pertinence of surgical treatment. We noted complications, consequences of recurrence and later operations on the same tumor site in five cases. CASE REPORTS: Five patients treated between 1973 and 2000 for giant-cell tumors involving the hand bones were reviewed retrospectively. Mean age was 41.6 years and mean follow-up was 7.8 years. The surgical procedure was curettage for two, curettage with bone graft for two and amputation for one. The Enneking score was noted. RESULTS: Pain was the main symptom, with local swelling in several cases. At 7.8 years follow-up recurrence was noted for four of the five tumors. Two patients were treated for a second recurrence. Amputation of the forearm was required for one recurrence affecting soft tissue. Mean time between two consecutive recurrences was three months. In all six episodes of recurrent tumor were treated. These five patients had a total of ten operations. There were no cases of metastasis nor multicentric foci. DISCUSSION: Treatment of giant-cell tumors involving the hand bones is designed to eradicate the tumor and also protect hand function while keeping in mind the aggressive nature of these benign tumors. Surgical alternatives for radical treatment can include wide resection, resection of the ray and amputation.

[Bilateral fracture of the pisiform bone]. / Fracture bilatérale de l'os pisiforme.

Fracture of the pisiform bone is exceptional compared with the other carpal bones. Such lesions may be missed in the emergency room because of the complex anatomy of the carpal region. The usual circumstances leading to fracture of the pisiform bone include fall with reception on the hyperextended wrist, traffic accidents, and blunt trauma. The purpose of this work was to present a case of bilateral fracture of the pisiform bones. A 34-year-old woman presented with pain along the ulnar borders of both wrists after a fall. The mechanism of fracture was direct trauma on both hands after reception in radial inclination. The diagnosis was established late and conservative treatment was applied. After simple immobilization, the clinical and functional outcome was excellent. The anatomic position of the pisiform bone exposes it to direct trauma. Late diagnosis can favor osteoarthritic sequelae involving the pisotriquetral joint.

Septocutaneous perforators of the peroneal artery relative to the fibula: anatomical basis of the use of pedicled fasciocutaneous flap.

There are many studies describing the perforating branches of the peroneal artery but none of them identifies their locations relative to fibula. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the locations of the perforators relative to the fibula and to present a case, treated with an adipofascial flap, based on one of these small arteries. In this study, nine fresh male cadavers' legs injected with colored latex were dissected for demonstration of the longitudinal axis of these perforators. A large incision was made on the lateral part of the leg from the head of the fibula to the ankle. The peroneal perforating vessels were displayed. The posterior margin of the fibula was marked with needles from proximal to distal just above every perforator. The distance between the needle and the perforator was recorded. Their diameters were measured at the level of fascial emergence. There were four to seven perforating vessels; the larger vessels were near the proximal end of the fibula with an average of 1.1 mm and a minimum of 0.8 mm. We found that these branches were not parallel to fibula, but aligned in an oblique projection from posterior to anterior and from distal to proximal because of the course of the intermuscular septum between the soleus and peroneus longus muscles. The lowermost vessel was 1.7 cm away from the posterior margin of the fibula while the uppermost vessel was 0.25 cm away from the posterior ridge of the fibula. Adipofascial or fasciocutaneous flaps, which have important advantages in covering small to medium sized defects, can be based on the perforators of the peroneal artery. But for the centralization of the flap pedicle, the locations of the perforators, which are aligned from the lateral malleolus to the fibular head in oblique direction and from the posterior to the anterior must be taken into consideration. This knowledge is crucial for the flap design and the centralization of the vessels.

An alternative approach in the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture skin defects: first dorsal metacarpal artery island flap.

Skin defects are often present following surgery for Dupuytren's contracture. The first dorsal metacarpal artery island flap (FDMA) has been used by others for soft tissue reconstruction about the radial and dorsal aspect of the hand, thumb and fingers. We have used it successfully to fill the skin defects often seen following palmar fasciectomy for Dupuytren's contracture. The thin nature of the flap makes it suitable for this application. The FDMA arises from the radial artery just before the radial artery enters the first dorsal interosseous muscle and divides into three branches: 1 to the thumb, 1 to the index finger (radiodorsal branch) and a muscular branch. It is the radiodorsal branch that supplies the skin over the index finger. The island flap based on this artery includes the dorsal terminal branches of the radial nerve and venae comitantes. The flap is formed to include the fascia of the first dorsal interosseous muscle to avoid injury to a possible deep artery and to yield sufficient fat to promote venous drainage. The flap is passed subcutaneously through the first web space and sutured in place to cover the skin defect in the palm. A full thickness skin graft is used to cover the defect over the proximal phalanx of the index finger.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in elective thoracic surgery: cefuroxime versus cefepime.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the major morbidity factors after thoracic surgery. Although different prophylactic regimens have been used to prevent this complication, the ideal prophylactic agent, dose and duration of administration remain unknown. METHODS: All patients included underwent elective lung resection. 102 selected patients consecutively scheduled for major thoracic surgery were enrolled in this study and randomized into either the cefuroxime group (n = 50) or the cefepime group (n = 52). RESULTS: Twelve pathologic bacterium strains were isolated in the cefepime group, whereas only 5 pathogenic strains were isolated in the cefuroxime group; the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.04). Two empyemas (3.8 %) in the cefepime group were noted, while the cefuroxime group showed no cases of empyema (p = 0.16). Overall infection rate (pneumonia + bronchopneumonia + empyema) were 14.0 % and 26.7 % in the cefuroxime and the cefepime groups, respectively (p = 0.12). Using chest radiography, pulmonary infiltration was found to be more frequent in the cefuroxime group (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Cefuroxime as a prophylactic agent in major thoracic surgical operations was marginally more effective than cefepime, and presented an additional cost advantage.

The value of mediastinoscopy in preoperative evaluation of mediastinal involvement in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with clinical NO disease.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of mediastinal lymph node examination using cervical mediastinoscopy in operable non-small cell lung cancer patients without radiological nodal involvement on computerized tomography (CT) has been elusive. METHODS: The value of mediastinoscopy as a staging modality for assessing the mediastinal lymph node status was evaluated in 79 patients with presumed resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mediastinal nodes smaller than 1 cm (NO) form the CT scan. Sixty-one patients who did not have nodal involvement at mediastinoscopy and had complete medical records underwent complete resection. RESULTS: Negative predictive value (NPV) of the CT scan according to mediastinoscopy was 92.4 %. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen showed the NPV of mediastinoscopy to be 93.4 %. Only 4 patients (3 patients with N2, 1 patient with N3 disease) were not correctly staged using CT scanning and mediastinoscopy. According to the pathological examination, the NPV of CT was found to be lower (76.5 %) in patients with adenocarcinoma, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.128) CONCLUSION: Although the likelihood of surgical-pathological N2 is slightly higher in patients with adenocarcinoma, radiological examination of patients with cNO NSCLC disease can be as accurate as mediastinoscopy in appropriately staging mediastinal lymph node involvement.

Carpal tunnel release by the Agee endoscopic technique. Results at 4 year follow-up.

Ninety-five hands (86 patients) were treated by endoscopic carpal tunnel release using the technique of Agee. They were the first ones operated on by the senior author (GF) using this technique. The patients were interviewed at a mean follow-up of 4.5 years: 72% of hands were free of symptoms and 94% were described by the patients as functionally normal. Seventeen hands (out of 27) with residual or recurrent symptoms were examined. Nine hands (nine patients) were only partially improved (mean 6.7 on a 10 point scale) and in eight hands (seven patients), some symptoms had recurred after a mean delay of 3.8 years. It was possible to find a second pathology in most of these cases. It is necessary to inform the patient before operation that incomplete relief or recurrence of symptoms can occur after endoscopic carpal tunnel release, as with conventional release.