Trigger finger following partial flexor tendon laceration: Magnetic resonance imaging-assisted diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Post-traumatic trigger finger is considerably rarer than normal trigger finger. The diagnosis is usually made on a clinical basis. This can be obscured; however, by concurrent pathological conditions. We report a case of post-traumatic trigger finger in which diagnosis was aided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PRESENTATION OF CASE: Our patient is a 32-year-old male who had a previous laceration with a subsequent surgery for infectious tenosynovitis. The MRI showed the impinging tendon tag. Surgical excision of the tag successfully solved the case. DISCUSSION: The use of imaging studies for the diagnosis of post-traumatic trigger finger has been previously reported, the authors described a variation on the contour of the pulley system. The full lacerated tendon tag can be seen on our patient's MRI. CONCLUSION: On this case, the use of MRI was a useful aid for the differential diagnosis of post-traumattic trigger finger.

The Holevich flap revisited: a comparison with the Foucher flap, case series.

The first dorsal metacarpal artery flap was initially described by Hilgenfeldt, it was designed as a racquet flap by Holevich and modified as an island flap by Foucher and Braun. The objective of the present is to compare the Holevich flap and the Foucher flap in terms of venous congestion and flap necrosis. From 2009 to 2013, ten first dorsal metacarpal artery flaps were performed at our hospital's hand unit. Five of the flaps were Holevich type flaps and five of the flaps were Foucher flaps. There were seven men and three women. The mean age was 47 years for the Foucher flap group (17-67 years), and 48 years for the Holevich flap group (36-61 years). Strength, static two tips discrimination, ranges of motion, satisfaction, cold intolerance, pain, flap congestion and flap necrosis were recorded for both groups. Similar values of strength, pain, range of motion and two tips discrimination were found on both groups. There was a higher incidence of flap congestion and necrosis on the Foucher flap group (two thumbs underwent partial flap necrosis and two underwent venous congestion in three patients). There was also a higher incidence of cold intolerance in the Foucher group (two patients exhibited moderate cold intolerance and one exhibited a severe cold intolerance). A proper statistical analysis was not possible due to the size of the case series. In this small case series the Holevich exhibited less flap necrosis, less venous congestion, and less incidence of cold intolerance than the Foucher flap.

Vascularized bone blocks from the toe phalanx to solve complex intercalated defects in the fingers.

PURPOSE: Vascularized bone transplants resist infection and allow rapid healing but keeping small bony segments vascularized, as needed for a finger defect, is a challenge. The purpose of this article is to present a cohort of patients with traumatic intercalated compound bony defects in the fingers that were reconstructed by a vascularized toe phalanx (or part of a phalanx) in a single stage. METHODS: Eight patients were treated with an intercalary vascularized bone graft that included a part of the proximal phalanx (3 patients), most of the middle phalanx (4 patients), or a portion of each phalanx (1 patient) of a second toe (totaling 9 bone blocks). There was an associated soft-tissue defect in each patient, an infection in 6 patients, and cartilage loss in 4 patients. The toes were pedicled on the proper digital artery (6 patients) or a segment of the first dorsal metatarsal artery (2 patients). A mean length of 12 mm of vascularized bone was transferred. The associated skin island varied from a minimum of 2 x 1 cm to a maximum of 5 x 3 cm. Bleeding from all of the bone surfaces was evidenced once the clamps were released. The homolateral digital nerve and the contralateral neurovascular pedicle of the toe were kept in place. The toe defect was treated by soft-tissue arthroplasty or arthrodesis. No toe was amputated. RESULTS: Radiologic bony union was evident at 4 to 6 weeks, except in 1 patient with an acute infection whose distal union failed to unite at 6 weeks because the infection recurred. Finger length loss averaged 3 mm. All patients returned to their preoperative occupation. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients the toe phalanx reliably maintained its vascularization, allowing us to solve compound osteocutaneous defects in the fingers in a single stage. Donor site morbidity was minimal.

Correction of malunited intra-articular distal radius fractures with an inside-out osteotomy technique.

PURPOSE: To present an inside-out osteotomy technique under arthroscopic guidance to correct an intra-articular malunion. METHODS: The joint is explored with a 2.7-mm arthroscope through the standard portals without infusing any water. To allow room to introduce the curettes and the osteotomes (4-mm wide), the instrumentation portals are made slightly larger than usual. Malunited fragments are cut with the osteotomes from inside the joint and advanced out. Fragments are mobilized, and granulating tissue and/or new bone is removed with curettes and synoviotomes. After disimpaction and reduction, fixation with plates or screws via the appropriate open approach is performed under arthroscopic control. No water is used throughout the procedure except at the end of the surgery to clear out debris. RESULTS: Steps were corrected to 0 mm in all patients. Gaps of less than 1 mm were common. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure allows us to define each cartilage-containing fragment and to re-create the original articular fracture line without the fear of creating new fracture lines on the articular surface. This technique can be used for patients with irregularly defined fragments that are not amenable to classic techniques. The key to the procedure is to perform the arthroscopic exploration without water infusion (dry technique).

Reconstruction of the distal radius facet by a free vascularized osteochondral autograft: anatomic study and report of a patient.

PURPOSE: Large chondral defects of the distal radius after fractures present a reconstructive challenge. The purpose of this study was to present the anatomic findings from a cadaver of a vascularized osteochondral autograft taken from the third metatarsal appropriate for reconstructing the distal radius articular facet. A patient is presented in whom 70% of the scaphoid fossa was reconstructed with this technique. METHODS: The base of the third metatarsal was studied in the feet of 20 cadavers. The size and shape of the cartilage were measured. Additionally vessel distribution was recorded and the diameters of vascular foramina were measured with Juch's method. RESULTS: The base of the third metatarsal is pear shaped and is wider dorsally than plantarly. It averages 19.2 mm long on its main axis. Its cartilaginous surface is minimally concave or flat and it is slanted slightly proximal-dorsal to distal-plantar and proximal-peroneal to distal-tibial. Nutrient foramina were found in every case in the dorsum and on both sides of the proximal shaft. At least 1 nutrient vessel could be tracked back to the dorsalis pedis in every dissected specimen. CONCLUSIONS: The anatomic features of the base of the third metatarsal make it a potential vascularized autograft to consider for osteochondral defects of the distal radius.

Results of osteotomy, open reduction, and internal fixation for late-presenting malunited intra-articular fractures of the base of the middle phalanx.

PURPOSE: To present our results in the treatment of late-presenting impaction fractures of the base of the middle phalanx treated by osteotomy with full exposure of the articular surface to restore the normal anatomy. METHODS: Eleven patients with a malunited (impacted) fracture of the base of the middle phalanx were treated by osteotomy more than 5 weeks after the injury. All fractures had varying degrees of impaction, comminution, and dorsal subluxation. The malunited joint surface was visualized by dislocating the joint by hyperextension (shotgun approach). The restoration of the cup-shape contour of the middle phalangeal base was accomplished by osteotomy and mobilization of small osteochondral fragments. Rigid fixation was performed by cerclage wire, screws, or a combination of these. A distal radius bone graft was placed beneath disimpacted fragments in 9 of the 11 procedures. RESULTS: Ten of 11 patients were followed-up for more than than 1 year. One patient with a volar lateral impaction fracture was lost to follow-up study 4 weeks after the surgery and was excluded from the results. All patients except 1 achieved a functional range of motion of the proximal interphalangeal joint. Moderate limitations of the distal interphalangeal joint motion were common. Grip and thumb-affected finger tip pinch strengths were 95% and 90%, respectively, of the healthy side. The average pain level (as rated on a visual analog scale of 0-10) improved from a preoperative score of 9.1 to a postoperative score of 0.8. One patient was somewhat dissatisfied; all other patients were satisfied or very satisfied. All returned to their previous work at an average of 13 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable results have been achieved in this challenging scenario in the short- and middle-term in 9 of 10 patients. Previous surgery and moderate to severe wearing of the cartilage of the proximal phalanx head negatively affected the results.

Overcoming soft-tissue deficiency in toe-to-hand transfer using a dorsalis pedis fasciosubcutaneous toe free flap: Surgical technique.

Reconstruction of combined finger and soft-tissue defects poses a technical surgical challenge. We present our experience with a hybrid flap: the dorsalis pedis fasciosubcutaneous-toe free flap. In a single stage, this flap solves the problem of medium-sized defects associated with digit losses in the hand. Donor-site morbidity has been minimal.

Analysis of prognostic factors in ring avulsion injuries.

PURPOSE: To report 105 cases of ring avulsion injuries, examine the factors affecting rate of survival and functional outcome after reconstruction, and evaluate whether these data provide enough evidence to support attempts to repair these injuries. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 105 patients with 105 ring avulsion injuries of all grades of severity treated at our center between 1977 and 2003. Factors that could affect the outcome included personal (gender, age, smoking history, vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse), injury (finger affected, level of skeletal injury, presence of tendon and nerve injury, Urbaniak class as modified by Kay et al, presurgery time), and surgery features (number of arteries and veins reconstructed primarily and with vein grafts). Results were interpreted based on survival and final function. Function was measured by the presence of pain, range of motion, and 2-point discrimination. RESULTS: Of the 86 digits with inadequate circulation, 11 digits had primary amputation. Reconstruction was attempted in 75 digits. Fourteen digits had secondary amputation because of revascularization failure. Failure was attributed to artery problems in 5 digits and to vein problems in 5 digits and was unknown in 4 digits. The overall survival rate was 81%. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is not associated with higher risk of revascularization failure. Reconstruction of 2 or more veins resulted in higher survival rates compared with reconstruction of only 1 vein. Level of bone injury is not an accurate indication of whether to attempt reconstruction. Primary nerve repair does not lead to a good sensory recovery in most digits. Patients who had their digits finally amputated had variable periods of hypersensitivity at the stump, which prolonged their convalescence time.

Aspectos epidemiológicos das fraturas do tálus / Epidemiological aspects of fractures of the talus

Os autores analisaram 51 pacientes com 52 fraturas do tálus atendidos no Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Sao Paulo entre fevereiro de 1972 e março de 1995. Fez-se estudo epidemiológico dos pacientes em relaçao à idade, sexo e ocupaçao exercida assim como do lado, mecanismo de produçao, presença de exposiçao, lesoes associadas, localizaçao no osso e classificaçao das fraturas. Chegou-se às seguintes conclusoes: a fratura do tálus é mais freqüente no adulto jovem do sexo masculino; normalmente é unilateral, fechada e mais comum no colo e corpo; a fratura do maléolo medial ipsilateral pode acompanhá-la.