Journal of Hand and Microsurgery最新文献

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to introduce the thumb reconstruction technique both by microsurgical reconstruction using a great toe transfer and dual bone lengthening technique with an Ilizarov mini-fixator for the fingers.

Methods: The great toe was transferred to the amputated thumb, followed by a bone lengthening procedure for the residual metacarpal bone to enable easy pinching. During the metacarpal bone lengthening, osteotomy was performed at two sites to shorten the period of bone fusion.

Results: The great toe transfer was performed successfully and metacarpal bone fusion was achieved earlier than usual by dual osteotomy technique, allowing the patients to eventually resume their previous jobs.

Conclusion: Our procedure reported herein, i.e., great toe transfer by microsurgery + dual osteotomy distraction lengthening, seems to serve as a useful procedure for thumb reconstruction from both cosmetic and functional improvement.

Background: Breast surgery carries the risk of intercostal nerve injuries, with symptoms ranging from sensory disturbances to chronic pain. This study characterizes post-operative intercostal nerve injuries following breast surgery and available microsurgical management options.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for the years 2003-2024. The primary inclusion criteria was a patient experiencing any neuropathic symptoms (defined as pain or sensory changes) following mastectomy, breast reconstruction, or aesthetic breast surgery.

Results: Of 514 unique studies, 39 (n = 9083 patients) were included. The procedures included breast augmentation (n = 6291, 69.3 %), mastectomy without reconstruction (n = 1701, 18.7 %), mastectomy with reconstruction (n = 654, 7.2 %), and breast reduction (n = 434, 4.9 %). After these procedures, 1144 (12.6 %) patients experienced chronic pain and 135 (1.8 %) had nerve injuries, consisting of intercostal nerves (n = 133, 98.5 %) or brachial plexus nerves (n = 2, 1.5 %). Of patients with nerve injuries, 23 (9.2 %) underwent surgical interventions, which included neurectomy (n = 11, 47.8 %), neuroma excision (n = 10, 43.5 %), implant removal (n = 8, 34.8 %), and dorsal rhizotomy (n = 1, 4.3 %).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates a substantial risk of chronic pain and peripheral nerve injuries following breast surgery. The low utilization of surgical options (4.6 %) may indicate limited patient unawareness of the pain relief which microsurgical intervention offers when conservative approaches fail in reduction or resolution of symptoms.

Background: Large post-traumatic defects of the lateral malleolus are uncommon but present major reconstructive challenges, particularly in the presence of segmental bone loss, infection, or soft-tissue compromise. The lateral malleolus is essential for ankle stability, and its absence leads to mechanical imbalance and early degenerative changes. Traditional solutions-including non-vascularized grafts, allografts, arthrodesis, or fibular transfers-may be inadequate when biological conditions are poor or when three-dimensional reconstruction is required. Vascularized bone flaps offer improved union rates and enhanced resistance to infection. The vascularized iliac crest flap, although well-established in limb reconstruction, remains infrequently reported for distal fibula restoration.

Methods: Three patients with severe post-traumatic lateral malleolar defects were treated between 2002 and 2015 at two microsurgical centers. Reconstruction was performed using free vascularized iliac crest flaps based on the deep circumflex iliac artery. Flap configuration (osteo-muscular or osteo-cutaneous) was adapted to defect size and soft-tissue requirements. Technical details-including flap harvest, shaping of the iliac crest segment, fixation, and vascular anastomoses-are described. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated over 8-14 years.

Results: All flaps survived without major postoperative complications. Radiographs demonstrated consistent osseous union between the iliac crest graft and tibia. All patients achieved full weight-bearing and stable ankle function. Mild-to-moderate radiographic osteoarthritis occurred at long-term follow-up but remained asymptomatic. Soft-tissue coverage was reliable, and no secondary flap procedures were required.

Conclusions: The free vascularized iliac crest flap is a dependable and versatile reconstructive option for extensive lateral malleolar defects. It provides stable ankle restoration, predictable union, and durable function, and should be considered when conventional grafting or fibular transfers are unsuitable, particularly in complex post-traumatic or infected environments.

Background: Various modalities exist for repairing transected nerves not amenable to primary repair; including, autograft, vein graft, conduit, and allograft. The study was hypothesis was that there is increasing utilization of allografts for peripheral nerve repairs.

Materials & methods: The TriNetX Research Network was queried from 2002 to 2022 for all patients undergoing peripheral nerve repair. Demographic information, usage patterns, and comorbidities associated with different grafting methods by CPT were extracted and analyzed.

Results: Out of 33,262 patients undergoing peripheral nerve repair, 31,756 with available demographic data were identified and included. Primary repair cases totaled 17,159, followed by conduit (n = 9282), allograft (n = 3582), autograft (n = 2886), and vein autograft (n = 353). Noting that a cpt for an allograft was introduced in 2017, a logistical regression analysis was performed to further sub-analyze allograft usage. The utilization of allografts significantly increased in 2021-2022 compared to 2019-2020, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.4 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.7; P = 0.001), indicating a greater increase compared to autograft utilization during the same interval. The mean per-year rate of change (range) between 2017 and 2022 for nerve allograft, conduit, autograft and vein autograft was +93.4 (+16.5 to +176.5), +6.3 (-37 to +45), -1.4 (-7.5 to +7.5), and +2 (-2.5 to +6.5), respectively.

Conclusion: This study presents a twenty-year analysis of the changing trends in nerve repair and grafting techniques employed by nerve surgeons. Conduit repair has remained a major grafting technique used among surgeons. However, since its introduction, nerve allograft repair demonstrates a consistent positive upward trend in usage within the last 6 years, In contrast, autograft usage has decreased while vein graft usage is least common with a less relevant change in usage. These trends suggest an increasing preference for allograft, potentially displacing other nerve grafting methods, including autografting.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity. In addition to traditional open carpal tunnel release (OCTR), endoscopic (ECTR) and mini-open (MOCTR) approaches have been developed as minimally invasive alternatives. However, comparative evidence regarding their clinical efficacy and safety remains inconsistent.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to PRISMA guidelines, including 44 comparative studies (38 comparing ECTR vs OCTR and 6 comparing ECTR vs MOCTR) involving adult patients with idiopathic CTS. Outcomes extracted included pain (VAS), functional scores (BCTQ-SSS, BCTQ-FSS, DASH), grip and pinch strength, sensory symptoms, and complications such as pillar pain, nerve injury, opioid use, and revision CTR.

Results: Across all functional measures (DASH, BCTQ-FSS, BCTQ-SSS), pain, and sensory outcomes, pooled analyses demonstrated no statistically significant differences between ECTR, OCTR, and MOCTR. Grip and pinch strength were also comparable, indicating equivalent long-term motor recovery. Postoperative VAS pain scores did not differ significantly between ECTR and OCTR (p = 0.10). Nerve injury also showed no significant difference between techniques in the random-effects model (p = 0.56). Opioid prescription rates were similar across groups. Notably, ECTR demonstrated a significantly lower revision CTR rate compared with OCTR (risk ratio = 0.46, 95 % CI 0.29-0.73; p = 0.0009).

Conclusion: Open, mini-open, and endoscopic carpal tunnel release techniques provide comparable outcomes in pain relief, functional recovery, strength, sensory symptoms, and overall safety for idiopathic CTS. Although revision CTR occurred less frequently after ECTR in the pooled analysis, the clinical significance of this difference remains uncertain. Technique selection should therefore be individualized based on surgeon expertise, patient priorities, and resource availability.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jham.2025.100288.].

Background: Fingertip and nail bed injuries represent complex reconstructive challenges in hand surgery, requiring restoration of both function and aesthetics. The nail unit's intricate anatomy-comprising the matrix, bed, and surrounding tissues-necessitates precise surgical techniques to prevent long-term deformities and sensory deficits. This study presents and evaluates the "clover flap," a novel homodigital advancement technique designed for dorsal fingertip injuries involving partial or complete nail bed loss.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 63 patients with dorsal fingertip defects were treated between 2005 and 2023 using the clover flap at a primary referral center. The flap involves volar V-Y advancements redirected dorsally in a trifoliate configuration, allowing one-stage coverage without grafts. Outcomes were assessed using standardized clinical, functional, and aesthetic metrics including Quick-DASH, 2PD, POSAS, FIOS, and OFNAS scores.

Results: No complete flap necrosis occurred. Nail deformities were limited to 17.5 % of cases, with minimal donor site morbidity. Patients achieved a mean Quick-DASH score of 14.6, 2PD of 7.3 mm, and an active ROM of 224°. Grip and pinch strength recovered to 79 % and 81 % of the contralateral side, respectively. Aesthetic outcomes were favorable, with an OFNAS of 4.5 and FIOS of 11.3. Multivariate analysis confirmed functional and cosmetic stability over time, regardless of complication presence.

Conclusion: The clover flap offers a reliable, one-stage reconstructive option for dorsal fingertip injuries, combining high functional recovery with excellent nail bed and scar aesthetics. Its design preserves nail matrix integrity, avoids microsurgery, and is particularly suitable in acute care settings.

Introduction: the reconstruction of intercalary femoral defects after tumour resection is challenging. We have evaluated the clinical, functional, and oncological results of using free vascularized fibular graft combined with preserved pasteurized tumour segment.

Materials: this study was retrospective in nature and included 12 patients [eight males and four females]. The mean age was 21.3 years ± 11.3. The diagnoses of the patients were osteosarcoma (Five cases) and Ewing's sarcoma (seven cases). The resection was wide local excision, and the defect was reconstructed using combined free vascularized fibular graft and pasteurized tumour segment.

Results: the mean time to union was 7.1 ± 1.9 months while the mean time to full weight bearing was 12 ± 1.8 months. The mean size of skeletal defect was 17.7 cm ± 1.92. The mean duration of surgery was 12.1 h ± 1.88. Nonunion occurred in four cases, stress fractures occurred in two cases and metal failure occurred in one case.

Conclusion: the combined technique of using free vascularized fibular graft and pasteurized tumour segment for intercalary femoral defects following tumour resection is a valuable technique with accepted complications and good results.