Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to investigate and describe the presence of osteolysis after implantation of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) suture anchors in the hand and wrist. METHODS:Patients who underwent hand or wrist surgery using PEEK suture anchor(s) at a large academic institution from January 2019 to January 2021 were identified. Patients without accessible intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging were excluded. Patient demographics, type of procedure, and suture anchor material were recorded. The suture anchor tunnel size was measured on sequential radiographs and recorded as percentage change. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize findings. RESULTS:A total of 26 PEEK suture anchors in 14 patients were included, with an average follow-up of 12.0 months (range, 1.5-24.1 months). Twenty-seven percent of the anchors (7/26) demonstrated osteolysis at final follow-up, as defined by enlargement of tunnel size by >30%. In all anchors, the tunnel size increased by 19.1% on average (range, -7.7% to 56.1%) by final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Polyetheretherketone suture anchors may be associated with the development of osteolysis in hand and wrist surgery. The clinical implications of osteolysis in the smaller bones of the hand and wrist remain unclear. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Prognostic IV.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Corticosteroid injection is the mainstay of nonoperative treatment for trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis), but despite substantial experience with this treatment, there is minimal available evidence as to the optimal corticosteroid dosing. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of 3 different injection dosages of triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of trigger finger. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:Patients diagnosed with a trigger finger were prospectively enrolled and treated with an initial triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog) injection of 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg. Patients were followed longitudinally over a 6-month period. Patients were assessed for duration of clinical response, clinical failure, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) scores. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:A total of 146 patients (163 trigger fingers) were enrolled over a 26-month period. At 6-month follow-up, injections were still effective (without recurrence, secondary injection, or surgery) in 52% of the 5-mg group, 62% of the 10-mg group, and 79% of the 20-mg group. Visual Analog Scale at final follow-up improved by 2.2 in the 5-mg group, 2.7 in the 10-mg group, and 4.5 in the 20-mg group. The QuickDASH scores at final follow-up improved by 11.8 in the 5-mg group, 21.5 in the 10-mg group, and 28.9 in the 20-mg group. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:Minimal evidence exists to guide the optimal dosing of steroid injection in trigger digits. When compared with 5-mg and 10-mg doses, a 20-mg dose was found to have a significantly higher rate of clinical effectiveness at 6-month follow-up. The VAS and QuickDASH scores were not significantly different between the 3 groups.

Carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis of the thumb is one of the most common pathologies encountered in clinical hand and orthopedic surgery practices. Anatomy of the CMC joint and its biomechanics are theorized to predispose the articulation to laxity and subsequent degenerative changes. Diagnosis of CMC arthritis is primarily based on history, physical examination, and imaging findings, all of which coalesce to guide treatment. There are a multitude of treatment options for CMC arthritis, each with its own set of pearls and pitfalls with treatment decision making shared by surgeon and patient. Continued research and longitudinal data on outcome measures will assist in determining the ultimate "rule of thumb" for the treatment of CMC arthritis.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Small proximal pole scaphoid nonunions present a clinical challenge influenced by fragment size, vascular compromise, deforming forces exerted through the scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL), and potential articular fragmentation. Osteochondral autograft options for proximal pole reconstruction include the medial femoral trochlea, costochondral rib, or proximal hamate. This study reports the clinical outcomes of patients treated with proximal hamate osteochondral autograft reconstruction. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A retrospective review identified patients treated with this surgery from 2 institutions with a minimum 6-month follow-up. Clinical outcomes included the Visual Analog Dcale pain score, 12-item Short-Form survey, abbreviated Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score, wrist and forearm range of motion (ROM), radiographic assessment, and complications. We reviewed and compared these outcomes with those of the current published literature. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Four patients (mean age: 24 years, 75% men) with a 12.8-month average follow-up (range: 6-20 months) were included. Radiographic union was identified in all cases by 12 weeks (range, 10-12). The average wrist ROM was 67.5% flexion/extension and 100% pronation/supination compared with the contralateral side at the final follow-up. The mean QuickDASH score was 17.6 (SD, 13). No complications were identified. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:Proximal pole scaphoid nonunion reconstruction using autologous proximal hamate osteochondral graft demonstrated encouraging clinical and radiographic outcomes. Proximal hamate harvest involves minimal donor site morbidity without a distant operative site, uses an osteochondral graft with similar morphology to the proximal scaphoid, requires no microsurgical technique, and permits reconstruction of the SLIL using the volar capitohamate ligament.

BACKGROUND:Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has redefined the frontiers of plastic and reconstructive surgery. At the cutting edge of this evolving paradigm, we present the first successful combined full face and bilateral hand transplant (FT-BHT). METHODS:A 21-year-old man with sequelae of an 80% total body surface area burn injury sustained following a motor vehicle accident presented for evaluation. The injury included full face and bilateral upper extremity composite tissue defects, resulting in reduced quality of life and loss of independence. Multidisciplinary evaluation confirmed eligibility for combined FT-BHT. The operative approach was validated through 11 cadaveric rehearsals utilizing computerized surgical planning. Institutional review board and organ procurement organization approvals were obtained. The recipient, his caregiver, and the donor family consented to the procedure. RESULTS:Combined full face (eyelids, ears, nose, lips, and skeletal subunits) and bilateral hand transplantation (forearm level) was performed over 23 hours on August 12-13th, 2020. Triple induction and maintenance immunosuppressive therapy and infection prophylaxis were administered. Plasmapheresis was necessary postoperatively. Minor revisions were performed over seven subsequent operations, including five left upper extremity, seven right upper extremity, and seven facial secondary procedures. At eight months, the patient is approaching functional independence and remains free of acute rejection. He has significantly improved range of motion, motor power, and sensation of the face and hand allografts. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Combined FT-BHT is feasible. This is the most comprehensive VCA procedure successfully performed to date, marking a new milestone in plastic and reconstructive surgery for patients with otherwise irremediable injuries.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic differences of the most common peripheral nerve compressions in the upper extremity-carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), ulnar nerve compression (UNC) at the elbow, combined CTS and UNC, radial tunnel syndrome (RTS), and posterior interosseous nerve syndrome (PINS)-as a means to better understand the etiologies of each. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:< .05). RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:< .001). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:The demographics of patients with various compressive neuropathies were not homogeneous, suggesting different etiologies.

Avascular necrosis (AVN) and subsequent fragmentation of the proximal pole of the scaphoid following fracture is a challenging problem to treat. Multiple treatment methods have been described, although they have been shown to have varying degrees of success and are associated with donor site morbidities. This case report demonstrates a technique and the excellent radiographic and clinical outcome at 8 months postoperatively for reconstruction of the proximal pole of the scaphoid using an ipsilateral proximal pole of the hamate autograft.

The development of tendon transfers is it relatively recent evolution in orthopedic surgery. Drobnik performed the first upper extremity tendon transfer in 1894 for a patient with radial nerve palsy, which marks the beginning of a field that developed rapidly. By 1918, Steindler had performed his now famous "opponensplasty" in which he rerouted the flexor pollicis longus tendon to the radial base of the proximal pha- lanx. In the subsequent decades, numerous surgeons offered alternative methods to restore thumb opposition. Names now synonymous with hand surgery, such as Huber, Littler, Howell, Camitz, Royle, Bunnell, and Burkhalter, would all leave a mark on the history of opposition transfers. In this review we discuss the history of tendon surgery and trans- fers, focusing on the procedure of thumb opposition transfer.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Much has been written about the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue mallet injuries. However, there has been little regarding the characteristics of this injury affecting patients' prognosis. The purpose of this prospective study was to identify factors influencing the outcome of treatment of soft tissue mallet injuries. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:12 months. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:15°. Those failing splint treatment were older compared with those successfully treated. Patient compliance was significantly associated with a successful outcome. Factors that did not significantly affect success included time to treatment, initial injury severity, splinting duration, sex, and ligamentous laxity. Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores >0 were not associated with treatment failure. Radiographic and clinical extension lag were statistically comparable. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:This study shows strong association between the success of splint treatment, younger patient age, and compliance with the treatment protocol. Despite this finding, most patients did not report any functional limitations, irrespective of the treatment success. In contrast to prior results, time to treatment and initial extensor lag did not significantly affect treatment success.