Hand Surgery

Carpal tunnel syndrome has been surgically treated by release of the transverse carpal ligament (flexor retinaculum of the hand) using a blind procedure since 1930 or by an open procedure since 1946. The blind procedure has the possibility of unreliable results and ensuing complications, hence, the open procedure was developed. The open procedure, however, also resulted in various complications as reported in the 1970s.

At the end of the 1970s, I had many questions regarding accepted surgical procedures for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. These included: "Why should any healthy tissue be injured?"; "How can I make operations as minimally invasive as possible?"; and "How can I shorten postoperative fixation periods that cause declines in activities of daily living?"

This paper describes how I developed the world's first evidence-based endoscopic management procedure for carpal tunnel syndrome using local anaesthesia without a pneumatic tourniquet on an outpatient basis.

The incidence and the anatomical location of the arcade of Struthers as related to the arm length were studied in 62 arms of adult fresh-frozen cadavers. The distance between the greater tuberosity and the lateral epicondyle was designated as the arm length. The arcades of Struthers were identified in 85.4%. The mean arm length was 27.85 ± 1.3 cm. The mean of the distance between proximal border of the arcade of Struthers and the medial humeral epicondyle was 8.24 ± 2.06 cm. The mean ratio between the distance from the proximal border of the arcade to the tip of the medial epicondyle and arm length was 0.29 ± 0.07. We concluded that the anatomical location of the arcade as related to the arm length was 29% proximally, from the tip of the medial epicondyle. This report of the anatomical location of the arcade of Struthers related to the arm length can be useful to identify this structure in the arms which have differences in arm length during the surgical exploration and anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve procedures.

Background: The radial and ulnar styloids as well as Lister's tubercle are important surgical landmarks in the surgical treatment of distal forearm fractures. There have been limited studies assessing their relative safety in terms of their distance from superficial nerves which are in danger during surgical procedures. The aim of this cadaveric study was to assess and compare the distance of superficial nerves to these important surgical landmarks.

Methods: Twenty embalmed cadaveric upper limbs were dissected exposing the nerves and tendons around the wrist. The radial styloid, Lister's tubercle, ulnar styloid and nerve branches were marked with pins. The distance of the nearest nerve branch to each landmark was measured with a digital calliper. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS for Windows 11.5 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) using Friedman Tests and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests.

Results: The median distance of the nearest nerve branch to the radial styloid was 5.42 mm, to the Lister's tubercle was 16.68 mm and to the ulnar styloid was 13.56 mm. There was unequal safety for these three surgical landmarks regarding proximity to nerve branches (p < 0.00001). Paired comparison using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed that the Lister's tubercle was safer than the radial styloid (p < 0.0001) and ulnar styloid (p = 0.04). In addition, the ulnar styloid was safer than the radial styloid (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: There is a higher risk of injury to superficial nerves when operating near the radial styloid as it is significantly closer to nerve branches as compared to Lister's tubercle and ulnar styloid.

There are significant variations in the anatomy of the dorsal cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve. The dorsal cutaneous branch is at a risk of injury during a therapy for the ulnar side of the wrist. The purpose of this study is to measure the variations of the dorsal cutaneous branch. We studied 30 embalmed cadaver specimens. In its course, two division patterns of the dorsal cutaneous branch were identified, namely proximal and distal types. The proximal type went around the ulna proximal to the ulnar styloid process, and directed toward the ulnodorsal aspect. The distal type went around to the ulnodorsal aspect, distal to the styloid process. The proximal type was found in 21 of 30 cadavers, and the distal type was found in nine of 30 cadavers.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a common entrapment neuropathy of the upper limb. This condition can result in significant sensory disturbances and motor deficits in the distribution of the ulnar nerve. Surgical management of cubital tunnel syndrome is indicated when non-operative measures fail. However, in the elderly population, there may be a tendency to avoid surgery as nerve healing has been found to be poor. In our study, we reviewed the results of anterior transposition of ulnar nerve in patients 60 years of age and older. Our results were based on a self-reported outcome at a minimum of one year after surgery — 94.7% of our surgeries resulted in some improvement in symptoms experienced by the patients while there was an overall satisfaction rate of 83.3%. Based on our results, we recommend ulnar nerve transposition in the management of cubital tunnel syndrome in this group of patients if non-operative measures fail.

The clinical assessment of patients with peripheral nerve injury is primarily dependent on subjective clinical examination. We aimed to assess whether a thermotropic liquid crystal ring (TLC-ring) could provide the basis for an objective assessment of peripheral nerve injury by detecting temperature changes in the digits innervated by the damaged nerve.

A group of patients with known median, ulnar or both digital nerve injuries were compared against a control group. TLC-rings, marketed to the general public as "mood rings", were applied to the affected and unaffected digits and the colour change recorded.

Areas with nerve damage showed a statistically significant difference in colour response to those without damage.

This study establishes the ability of TLCs to detect cutaneous temperature changes associated with peripheral nerve injuries. Further studies and improvements are needed to refine TLC as an acute assessment tool for peripheral nerve injuries.

A retrospective analysis of 227 patients undergoing ultrasonography (US) of the hand/wrist over a three-year period in a district general hospital trust was performed. The usefulness in each case was assessed by two independent reviewers using a qualitative rating system, as (A) Useful: determines management, (B) Useful: contributory, (C) Not useful: not misleading, or (D) Not useful: misleading/potentially harmful. US was useful in 74.8% of cases but misleading/potentially harmful in 13.1%. Misleading rates exceeding 10% in sub-categories including tendinopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, foreign body and lumps, where US findings may influence the decision to operate or not, are particularly worrying. There were a number of cases where US led to unnecessary operations or suggested operating on the wrong structures, and also cases where US findings wrongly suggested that surgery was unnecessary. Various recommendations aimed to improve the usefulness of US in the Hand and Wrist, including mandatory/formal musculoskeletal US training, are made.

Distal radius fractures are common, and surgeons have in their armament a variety of ways of treating them. In this study, 50 orthopaedic surgeons in the UK were shown five clinical scenarios and radiographs from patients with various fracture patterns of the distal radius, and were asked for their preferred management. There was a wide variation in the preferred treatment for each scenario presented. Across all of the cases, 52% of surgeons preferred to use a volar locking-plate compared with 21% who chose fixation with Kirschner wires. There was very little consensus among surgeons with regard to the optimal method of fixation for patients sustaining dorsally displaced fractures of the distal radius. This disagreement is not surprising as there is currently no high level evidence to guide surgeons as to the best management option for this common and potentially debilitating injury.

Purpose: This comparative cohort study was designed to determine whether non-traumatic SLAC wrist exists, and is associated with abnormal carpal bone kinematics (specifically, decreased lunate flexion).

Methods: SLAC patients with no recognised history of upper extremity trauma were prospectively compared with an age-matched control group.

Results: Thirty-five subjects (69 wrists), included 33 non-traumatic SLAC wrists and 36 control wrists. The non-traumatic SLAC group had significantly different radiographic kinematic analysis compared to the control group. Flexion of the asymptomatic non-degenerative wrist of the non-traumatic SLAC group was distributed 70% through the lunocapitate (LC) joint and only 30% through the RL joint (p < 0.05). Conversely, flexion was more evenly distributed in the control group (48% LC and 52% RL). The non-traumatic SLAC group had abnormal wrist kinematics even in the non-involved side.

Conclusions: This study suggests that non-traumatic SLAC does exist. We believe that non-traumatic SLAC begins with abnormal wrist kinematics and that the dorsal radiolunate ligament restricts lunate flexion but not scaphoid flexion, leading to increased SL angles and, with years, eventual attrition of the SL ligament.

Type of Study/Level of Evidence: Prognostic, Level IV.

Osteo-arthritis (OA) of the scapho-trapezium-trapezoid joint (STT) is the second most common involved joint after trapezium-metacarpal I OA in the wrist.

The possible aetiology causing or contributing to the development of STT OA is shortly discussed.

A working classification is then proposed, which assists in the management of STT OA.

Mycobacterium marinum infection could have various presentations, from superficial skin infection to deep structure destruction. The prognosis is relatively poor when deep structure is involved as it is more destructive. The prognosis is even worse when operation is required. In the retrospective study of 136 patients who suffered this disease with deep structure involvement, their clinical presentations could be classified into benign and aggressive type. It was found that both types of presentation could be treated conservatively by medication alone. Benign presentations could be treated successfully with chemotherapy alone without complications. Patients with aggressive presentation were usually associated with worse prognosis as there were more complications regardless of the management option. Therefore, the clinical presentation not only had prognostic value but could also guide the treatment plan.

Acute plastic bowing is an incomplete fracture with a deformation that shows no obvious macroscopic fracture line or cortical discontinuity. Although cases of acute plastic bowing of the ulna with a dislocation of the radial head have been previously reported, we present here a rare case of acute plastic bowing of the radius with a distal radioulnar joint injury in a 16-year-old boy. Internal fixation of the detached fragment to the ulnar styloid and repair of the triangular fibrocartilagenous complex resulted in the disappearance of wrist pain. In cases of distal radioulnar joint injuries in children or adolescents, radiographs of the entire forearm should be taken to evaluate the existence of radial bowing.

Anterior interosseous nerve palsy is rare. Isolated neuropraxia of its branch to the flexor pollicis longus is even rarer. We present a case of a 24-year-old man who presented with weakness of his left thumb flexion after sustaining closed fracture of the proximal third of his left radius. On exploration, the anterior interosseous nerve and its branches was found to be intact as was the flexor pollicis longus. Electrophysiological studies demonstrated acute left anterior interosseous nerve neuropathy. Electromyography showed discrete motor unit at the flexor pollicis longus. Two months later the patient had full recovery of the flexor pollicis longus. We would like to highlight this rare occurrence and present a detailed history of this case to increase awareness amongst clinicians regarding this condition.

In this report, two cases presenting with CTS including a fracture of the silicone implant for Kienböck's disease after replacement over 20 years postoperatively where CTR ceased the symptoms of CTS. The major symptom characteristic was the median nerve impairment with less emphasis on the limited range of motion of the wrist or wrist pain due to a fracture of the silicone implant. There was an unlikely association between the fracture of the implant and CTS, which was confirmed by the operative findings of tenosynovitis and thickness of the degenerated transverse ligament without a significant protrusion of the silicone implant.

We present the first report of a patient with an isolated scaphoid dislocation with axial carpal dissociation sustained during volar flexion of the wrist. The scaphoid was dislocated to the radial side of the radial styloid process and was slightly shifted to the dorsal side. It was shown that the position of the wrist played an irrelevant role for occurring scaphoid dislocation.

A case of simultaneous fracture of the waist of the scaphoid and the hook of the hamate is presented. The scaphoid fracture was treated surgically with a headless compression screw, while the hook fracture was treated conservatively with cast immobilisation for eight weeks. Both fractures achieved bone union and the patient returned to work without any symptoms or complications.

Only two cases of fractures of the scaphoid and hamate have been reported previously. However, both of them involved fracture of the body of the hamate. This is the first report of simultaneous fracture of the scaphoid and the hook of the hamate.

During a wrist ganglion excision originating at the tendon sheath of the extensor carpi ulnaris muscle, a soft tissue mass was observed just radial and distal to the surgical field. Dissection of the mass revealed an accessory extensor digiti minimi muscle belly which joined the radial extensor digiti minimi tendon. The surgical impact is discussed.

The treatment for scapholunate dissociation is challenging and its management is varied depending on type, severity and duration of injury, and surgeon's preferred technique.

This study aimed to objectively assess the variations in the range and patterns of wrist movements using the Fastrak^Ⓡ system in patients having undergone Blatt's dorsal capsulodesis (BDC). The wrist movements were successively measured between the operated and unoperated wrists, while the patients performed set tasks.

Seventeen patients agreed to participate in the study. Following BDC the mean flexion loss was 23° (range 10°–38°). However, functional tasks revealed that the BDC did not adversely affect the function of the operated wrist.

This novel study demonstrates objectively the functional restrictions that patients are likely to experience postoperatively following BDC. It would be interesting to note the pattern of wrist motion using the Fastrak^Ⓡ system in various other clinical settings.