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Scaphoid fractures are common injuries in athletes. Most can be treated with cast immobilization, with an expected rate of union of 90% to 95%. Cast treatment, however, has the disadvantages of longer immobilization time, joint stiffness, reduced grip strength, and longer time to return to manual work or athletics. Closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation generally are preferred in athletes to allow a quicker return to sport; if closed reduction cannot be obtained, open reduction and internal fixation may be required.

The distal radial physis is a common site for injury in gymnasts because of the significant amount of load applied during upper extremity weight-bearing. Wrist pain has been reported in up to 88% of gymnasts. The long-term consequences of overuse wrist injuries, such as distal radial physeal arrest, include degenerative conditions that often cause pain and functional limitations. In the more immediate stage of many overuse injuries, early diagnosis can promote quicker care and recovery and thus faster return to play. Less time lost to injury can be very important in maintaining an athlete's quality of life.

Percutaneous fasciotomy is a safe, simple, and inexpensive treatment for mild to moderate Dupuytren contracture. The decrease in extension deficit in the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints after release correlates with improvement in patient-reported outcomes. Complications are rare and primarily include skin tears, which occur in approximately 4% of patients. Most patients are satisfied with the outcomes of the procedure at 1 year.

The field of hand surgery continues to evolve in new and exciting directions. Advances in diagnosis and management for common complaints and complex injuries allow higher-level care, while still being cognizant of the cost of health care delivery. Indications and protocols for past paradigm shifts, such as volar locked plating for distal radial fractures, continue to be honed, and the outcomes seen for modern flexor tendon repairs are impressive. Open questions remain, but promising results for scaphoid nonunion surgery and peripheral nerve reconstruction with processed allograft will continue to shed light on these unsolved problems.

The cost of carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery can be decreased and patient satisfaction increased by a few relatively simple changes. Although cost estimates vary in the literature, most investigators agree that open CTR costs less than endoscopic CTR, and the clinic procedure room or ambulatory surgery center is cheaper than the ambulatory surgery center, which is less than the hospital. Patient satisfaction can be increased by making office visits more patient-centered and improving the quality of dialogue between the surgeon and patient.

Objectives To describe a midshaft forearm fracture pattern that places the ulnar nerve at risk in the pediatric population and provide 7 clinical case examples describing the injury pattern and treatment methods. Design Retrospective observational case series, review of literature, cadaver dissection, and treatment recommendations. Setting Multi-institutional, Southeast United States. Patients Seven pediatric patients (5 male and 2 female) with mean age of 8.7 years (range, 3-14) who sustained a significantly displaced closed, or grade I open, middle to distal one-third both-bone forearm fracture with subsequent ulnar nerve dysfunction. Interventions Manual reduction and casting of both-bone forearm shaft fractures, operative debridement, fracture fixation, nerve exploration, neurolysis, nerve repair, and nerve grafting. Main outcome measurements Radiographic fracture union, clinical ulnar nerve motor and sensory function testing, along with selective electric nerve testing and advanced imaging were monitored throughout follow-up postinjury. Results Five of 7 patients underwent surgical treatment and 2 others were treated with conservative measures. The ulnar nerve was entrapped within the fracture site of one patient with an open fracture along with partial nerve transection, and 4 patients were found to have the nerve encased in hypertrophic scar tissue or bony callus upon surgical exploration at 3-12 months postinjury. Conclusions The ulnar nerve lies in a precarious position in the middle to distal one-third forearm and is bound by anatomic constraints that place the nerve at risk of injury. This article offers a treatment algorithm that includes conservative treatment, acute exploration, early exploration (≤3 months), and late exploration (>3 months). Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity. Comorbidities associated with the development of CTS include diabetes and obesity. Although a high rate of repetitive hand/wrist motions is a risk factor, there is insufficient evidence to implicate computer use in the development of CTS. Initial treatment generally is nonoperative, with the strongest evidence supporting bracing/splinting. Strong evidence supports operative treatment, regardless of technique, as superior to nonoperative treatment. Complications are infrequent and most are minor and transient.

The olecranon process, coronoid process, and greater sigmoid notch are important components of the complex proximal ulna. Along with providing bony stability to the ulnohumeral joint, the proximal ulna serves as the attachment site of many important muscles and ligaments that impart soft tissue stability to the elbow joint. Management of proximal ulnar fractures continues to evolve as advances in imaging and anatomic and biomechanical studies have led to improvements in available implants; however, controversies remain, as shown in the current relevant literature.

Volar plate fixation of unstable distal radius fractures has become the preferred technique by most surgeons for the operative treatment of displaced distal radius fractures. Flexor tendon rupture is a rare but serious complication associated with this operation that is thought to be due to irritation of the flexor tendons over the prominent distal edge of the plate. We describe a novel technique of using the brachioradialis tendon to cover the distal edge of the plate to help prevent tendon irritation and rupture.

The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are subjected to the highest joint forces in the hand, and at least 60% of individuals older than age 60 years have DIP joint arthritis. Debridement of degenerative distal interphalangeal joints with mild to moderate disease can provide satisfactory outcomes; however, those joints with more severe angular and rotation changes are reliably treated with fusions. Regardless of the fixation method, DIP fusions have high success rates, are well tolerated, and are extremely durable.

Degenerative arthritis at the articulation of the scaphoid, trapezium, and trapezoid (STT or triscaphe joint) is a common degenerative disease of the wrist. Pain and weakness with grip strength reduction and functional limitations when performing routine daily tasks are common complaints of patients with STT arthritis. Initial conservative treatments for STT arthritis include splinting, bracing, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, and steroid injections for pain relief. Failure of conservative treatment is the main indication for surgery, which may include distal scaphoid excision, with or without filling of the void after excision, trapeziectomy, STT arthrodesis, or STT implant arthroplasty.

Hand injuries account for up to 15% of sports injuries and are common in contact sports and in sports with a high risk of falling. Appropriate management requires knowledge of the type of injury, demands of the sport and position, competitive level of the athlete, future athletic demands and expectations, and the role of rehabilitation and protective splints for return to play. Management of the athlete requires aggressive and expedient diagnostic intervention and treatment. This article describes ligamentous injuries to the thumb, including thumb carpometacarpal dislocations, thumb metacarpophalangeal dislocations, collateral ligament injuries and interphalangeal dislocations, their evaluation, treatment and outcomes.

Outpatient surgery, especially in free-standing ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), provides a safe, cost-effective option for a variety of surgical procedures and has become the preferred choice over inpatient and hospital-based outpatient surgery for most hand and wrist procedures. Complication rates after ASC hand surgery are low (0.2%-2.5%). Patient dissatisfaction with ASC surgery is primarily associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting and inadequate pain control.

WALANT (wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet) appears to be a safe and effective anesthesia technique for many hand and wrist surgeries. Patient satisfaction is high because of the avoidance of preoperative testing and hospital admission. Postoperative recovery is rapid, and procedures can be done in outpatient settings, resulting in substantial savings in time and money.

Orthobiologics are not used as frequently in the hand and wrist as in other sites. The most frequently reported is the use of bone morphogenetic protein for the treatment of Kienbock disease. Animal studies have described improved tendon healing with the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but no clinical studies have confirmed these results. PRP has been reported to produce improvements in the outcomes of distal radial fractures and osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal in small numbers of patients. The use of orthobiologics in the hand and wrist are promising, but clinical trials are necessary to establish efficacy and safety.

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is a frequent cause of elbow pain; most patients (80%-90%) are successfully treated with standard nonoperative methods (rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, bracing, and physical therapy). Autologous blood injections and platelet-rich plasma injections are the two most frequently used orthobiologic techniques in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Studies of the effectiveness of autologous blood injections and platelet-rich plasma report varying outcomes, some citing significant clinical relief and others reporting no beneficial effect. More research is needed to determine how to best use orthobiologics in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis.

This study compares results of endoscopic carpal tunnel release using the two-portal technique in two groups of patients based on whether or not they were receiving workers' compensation. There were 50 patients in the worker's compensation group and 63 in the nonworker's compensation group. Mean follow-up was 40.8 months and 44.8 months, respectively. Duration of symptoms before surgery was statistically different in the two groups, 13.6 months in the worker's compensation groups compared to 26.2 months in the nonworker's compensation group. Worker's compensation patients tended to be younger, have shorter duration of symptoms before surgery, report lower postoperative activity levels, have more subsequent surgeries, and have mediocre results when compared to nonworker's compensation patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate or timing of return to work. Our series of 113 patients who had endoscopic carpal tunnel release indicates that careful patient selection is necessary to achieve satisfactory outcomes in worker's compensation patients.

Purpose: Most nonsurgical treatments for lateral epicondylitis have focused on suppressing an inflammatory process that does not actually exist in conditions of tendinosis. An injection of autologous blood might provide the necessary cellular and humoral mediators to induce a healing cascade. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the results of refractory lateral epicondylitis treated with autologous blood injections. Method: Twenty-eight patients with lateral epicondylitis were injected with 2 mL of autologous blood under the extensor carpi radialis brevis. All patients had failed previous nonsurgical treatments including all or combinations of physical therapy, splinting, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and prior steroid injections. Patients kept personal logs and rated their pain (0-10) and categorized themselves according to Nirschl staging (0-7) daily. Results: The average follow-up period was 9.5 months (range, 6-24 mo). After autologous blood injections the average pain score decreased from 7.8 to 2.3. The average Nirschl stage decreased from 6.5 to 2.0. For the 9 patients receiving more than one blood injection the mean pain score and Nirschl stage before injection were 7.2 and 6.6, respectively. After the second blood injection the pain and Nirschl scores were both 0.9. Two patients received a third blood injection that brought both pain and Nirschl scores to 0. Conclusions: After autologous blood injection therapy 22 patients (79%) in whom nonsurgical modalities had failed were relieved completely of pain even during strenuous activity. This study offers encouraging results of an alternative minimally invasive treatment that addresses the pathophysiology of lateral epicondylitis that has failed traditional nonsurgical modalities. (J Hand Surg 2003;28A:272-278. Copyright © 2003 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)

Excision of the proximal carpal row has proven over the past 60 years to be an effective technique for certain disorders of the wrist, including degenerative sequelae of scapholunate ligament dissociation and scaphoid nonunions, Kienbock disease, Preisser disease, and other fracture-dislocations of the wrist. The durability of this procedure may be due to remodeling of the capitate head to the lunate fossa. Poor results have been noted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and arthrogrypotic wrist deformities. Preservation of relatively normal cartilage of the capitate head as well as the lunate fossa is critical for success of this procedure. Average outcomes of this procedure include a wrist extension-flexion arc of 75° and grip strength of 60% of the uninvolved wrist. Revision to total wrist arthrodesis is required in 10% of patients. Approximately 90% have pain relief and can return to moderate use activity. Copyright © 2001 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Isolated capitate fractures are rare and may be underdiagnosed, especially when fracture displacement is minimal or absent. Our case report of a nondisplaced capitate waist fracture exemplifies the need for careful evaluation because initial plain radiographs were considered normal and appropriate treatment was delayed. This report also documents the use of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing such fractures.

Dupuytren disease (DD) is a challenging clinical problem even with primary surgical cases. However, in the face of recurrence, the surgeon is frequently left with a more challenging and complex problem. Soft tissues may be more adherent because of scar formation, and the anatomy may be distorted making identification of structures such as the nerves and vessels more problematic. Furthermore, the flexor pulley system can be damaged while trying to remove some of these recurrent cords and adherent scar risking potential bow-stringing of the flexor tendons. This chapter outlines some of the options for reoperation on recurrent DD. This type of surgery takes not only skill, but extreme patience on the part of the surgeon as the dissection can be quite tedious. Fortunately, patients are usually grateful for the improvement in function that is obtained.