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Most procedures that require exposure of the wrist joint requires us to go through the third and fourth compartment. This is followed by dividing the septum between the 3rd and 4th compartments and retracting the EDC tendons ulnarwards. This can be done by various techniques. Using a form of self-retaining retractor is cumbersome and has to be repeatedly repositioned as the tendons keep slipping out. We describe a novel method to maintain this retraction throughout any wrist procedure.

Summary Background and purposes The use of skin flap as a monitoring tool cannot sensitively reflect the vascularity of a functioning free muscle transfer (FFMT), and it may result in delayed detection of vascular compromise. We report the use of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) as a supplemental method in the monitoring of free gracilis transfers. Subjects and methods In 46 successful free gracilis transfers in 23 patients following total brachial plexus injury (BPI), CMAPs were measured every hour for 75 h postoperatively. We analyzed the amplitude, latency, and duration to understand the Wallerian degeneration effect and thresholds to warn vascular compromise clinically. After the primary study, we applied CMAP monitoring for 23 clinical cases. Main findings Three basic wave patterns of the CMAPs with or without dispersion were recognized. Forty-two CMAPs were successfully traced and 27 CMAPs with one constant wave pattern showed two types of amplitude and latency changes; positive and negative Wallerian degeneration. The mean 1-h maximal decreases of amplitudes and elongation of latency were 36% and 77%, respectively; however, they returned to the original pattern within 1 h. There were no significant differences of reinnervation time and final strength of elbow flexion between these 46 muscle transfers. In the clinical series, we experienced two cases of vascular compromise that showed CMAP critical alterations without skin flap changes. Conclusions Our preliminary results show that the measurement of CMAPs has great potential for the sensitive and reliable monitoring of muscle circulation after FFMT. The clinical critical values of CMAP amplitude changes for vascular compromise are >40% sudden decrease, and they continued to decrease further. This technique is most useful for postoperative vascular monitoring of a buried muscle flap, and it is proven to be of clinical significance in current vascular compromised cases. Level of evidence Level Ⅳ, Case Series.

Study design This was a retrospective study of 8 patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy who underwent multiple muscle transfers. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate results of multiple muscle transfers about the shoulder and elbow in patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy. Summary of background data Cervical spondylotic amyotrophy is characterized by severe muscle atrophy of the shoulder girdle and elbow. Even after cervical spine surgery, many patients have poor shoulder and elbow function. Methods Multiple muscle transfer procedures including the transfer of trapezius, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi muscles, and the Steindler procedure for reconstruction of shoulder and elbow function were performed in 8 patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy. Patients were evaluated at a mean of 18.2 months (range, 5-75 mo). Results All 8 patients obtained satisfactory functional recovery with improvement of active range of motion without any systemic and local complications within 3 to 6 months postoperatively. Patients at the last follow-up had obtained a mean of 91° of shoulder abduction, 111° of shoulder flexion, 23° of external rotation and 110° of elbow flexion. Disability scores (Japanese version) of the arm, shoulder, and hand improved by a mean of 28 points. Conclusion Multiple muscle transfers can improve shoulder and elbow function in cervical spondylotic amyotrophy, in cases of not only poor outcome after cervical surgery, but also in advanced paralysis. It is a useful set of procedures even in old patients, and provides definitive functional improvement of shoulder and elbow function from 3 to 6 months. Level of evidence 4.

Background Suprascapular nerve repair is a widely-prioritized procedure for shoulder reconstruction following brachial plexus injury. Although this procedure only reconstructs glenohumeral joint motion, the standard clinical assessment of shoulder function also includes the scapulothoracic joint contribution. The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop an objective method to accurately analyze shoulder abduction following suprascapular nerve repair in brachial plexus injury patients. Methods We introduced an objective method to accurately analyze independent shoulder abduction performed by supraspinatus muscle with the help of dynamic shoulder radiography. Antero-posterior radiographs of both shoulders in adduction and maximal active abduction were obtained. Five parameters were measured. They included global abduction, abduction in glenohumeral, scapulothoracic and clavicular joints along with lateral flexion of thoracic spine. Data were analyzed to distinguish glenohumeral joint contribution from that of scapulothoracic motion. The detailed biomechanics of glenohumeral motion were also analyzed in relation to scapulothoracic motion to separately define the contribution of each in global shoulder abduction. Results The test–retest, intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliabilities of the measurements were assessed. Intra-class correlation coefficient, Bland–Altman plots and repeatability coefficients showed excellent reliability for each parameter. The range of glenohumeral abduction showed high correlation to subtraction of the range of scapulothoracic from the range of global abduction. However, not all negative ranges of glenohumeral abduction meant non-recovery after nerve repair, because scapulothoracic motion contributed in parallel but not uniformly to global shoulder motion. Conclusion The conventional measurement of shoulder global abduction with goniometer is not an appropriate method to analyze the results of suprascapular nerve repair in brachial plexus palsy patients. We recommend examination of glenohumeral and scapulothoracic motions separately with dynamic shoulder radiographic analysis. With scapulothoracic contribution to the global shoulder motion, the glenohumeral motion can be wrongly assessed.

We report on an 82-year-old man with an infected non-union of the right tibia in which the peroneal artery was the sole artery supplying the lower leg, owing to peripheral arterial disease. He underwent tibial reconstruction using the pedicled vascularised fibular graft in a flow-through manner (without ligation of either the proximal or distal ends of the peroneal artery) and achieved successful bony union.

We present a case of isolated Abductor Digiti Minimi (ADM) palsy caused by an anomalous branch from the ulnar artery. Electrophysiology suggested selective involvement of the motor branch to the ADM in the Guyon's canal. Surgical exploration revealed an anomalous branch of the ulnar artery causing a pincer effect on the nerve to the ADM. Division and ligation of this branch effectively decompressed the nerve and the patient recovered satisfactorily. This report highlights the need to consider vascular aberrations as a differential diagnosis for ulnar neuropathy in Guyon's canal.

Purpose To report the outcomes of modified Camitz abductor plasty using the released flexor retinaculum as a pulley in patients with advanced carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods A retrospective review of 46 hands in 43 patients who underwent modified Camitz abductor plasty was performed. Active palmar abduction of thumb and pulp pinch strength were assessed. Patient-reported outcome measures were assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome instrument. As an electrophysiological assessment, compound muscle action potential (CMAP) from abductor pollicis brevis (APB) was investigated. Results At 3 months, active palmar abduction of thumb and pulp pinch strength significantly improved. Although pulp pinch strength further improved, active abduction of thumb did not improve at the final follow-up. Both the patient-reported outcome measures improved at 3 months and further improved at final follow-up. Approximately 75% of improved scores were obtained at the first 3 months after surgery and the balance of improved scores (25%) was obtained by the time of final follow-up. Useful recovery of postoperative APB-CMAP (amplitude > 1.8 mV) was obtained in 3 hands (7%) at 3 months after surgery and in 23 hands (50%) at final follow-up. There was no statistical significance of the postoperative results including active palmar abduction of thumb and improvement of patient-reported outcome measures at final follow-up between the hands with useful recovery of postoperative APB-CMAP and the hands without it. Conclusions Modified Camitz abductor plasty benefitted the early improvement of activity of daily living in patients with advanced carpal tunnel syndrome. It acted not only as an internal orthosis in patients who eventually recovered thenar muscle function but also as the sole palmar abductor of the thumb in patients who failed to recover useful thenar muscle function. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.

An intraosseous xanthoma is a very rare condition. It has an aggressive appearance on radiographs mimicking primary or metastatic malignant bone tumors. We report a case of intraosseous xanthoma of the distal radius in a 51-year-old male with no history of hyperlipidaemia. To the best of our knowledge, this condition has not been reported so far in the wrist and forearm region. The lesion was successfully excised and at last follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence and patient has been symptom-free.