Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume)

Successful peripheral nerve regeneration requires optimal conditions both in the macro-environment and micro-environment. Many methods have been used to improve the macro-environment for the regenerating nerve. However, much less is known about the micro-environment, and in particular the complex neurochemical interactions involved. Several neurotrophic factors have been shown to play an essential trophic role in the development, maintenance and regulation of neuronal function. These include nerve growth factor (NGF) and several recently identified members of the NGF family, namely brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) and neurotrophin-6 (NT-6). In this review we summarize recent studies of the effects of these neurotrophins on neurones, especially their effects on motor neurones and their axonal outgrowth. We discuss prospects for the future and point out what remains to be understood about the role of neurotrophins to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration.

Ten wrists in eight children with severe destructive changes in the wrist due to juvenile chronic arthritis underwent distraction lengthening of the ulna between 1983 and 1996 in an attempt to restore wrist alignment, which had not been preserved by previous splinting. Eight wrists in six patients (four female and two male) were evaluated. The average age at the time of operation was 13.8 years (range, 12–15.5). The average follow-up period was 70 months (range, 12–152). The average ulna minus deformity was between 8 and 9 mm. It was found that ulnar lengthening can be done safely and the procedure seems to stabilize the carpus, is likely to improve appearance, may improve function and in the majority of cases does eliminate the use of an external splint. Results seem to be stable for at least 3 to 5 years.

The Ilizarov technique can allow new histiogenesis of soft tissue as well as bone. Three cases of wrist contracture successfully treated by this method are described. One patient had transient superficial pin site infections. There were no other complications. At 2 years follow-up there was no recurrence of contractures.

This paper presents a different technique of treatment for Bayne type IV radial club hand using a microvascular joint transfer in order to reconstruct the absent half of the wrist joint, aiming for better movement and stability at the wrist joint with preservation of longitudinal growth. The method uses preoperative soft tissue distraction to obtain proper alignment of the hand on the ulna before the second metatarsophalangeal joint with the whole metatarsal bone is transplanted. The treatment takes about 4 months and the optimum period for surgery is during the second year of life. Pollicization is added later in the normal manner.

The new technique has been used in 12 cases by the author since 1987 and the results of the first nine cases are reported with a mean follow-up of 6 years. This technique appears to be promising but is demanding because of the microvascular joint transplantation at an early age.

An 8-year-old girl presented with marked shortening of the right forearm due to destruction of both the radius and ulna secondary to neonatal osteomyelitis. A one-bone forearm operation was performed to achieve a stable forearm. Two years later, the one-bone forearm was lengthened for 6 months by callus distraction (callotasis) achieving 12 cm of extra length. The patient was last followed up at the age of 16. The appearance and functional outcome of the right upper limb had been improved and she was independent in all activities of daily living.

Five patients under 15 years-of-age, with a fingertip amputation through the nail plate, were treated with a custom-made partial toe transfer. Two of the patients hid had previous attempts at surgical reconstruction using either a local flap or replantation. Delay between initial injury and reconstruction ranged from 2 to 60 days. In all cases the flap was harvested from the second toe. This “custom-made” compound transfer included the exact amount of pulp, nail bed and bone required for reconstruction. All flaps were harvested on a short vascular pedicle, with anastomoses performed at a digital level on the recipient site. Good to excellent cosmetic results were obtained in all cases, with a nearly normal-looking fingertip. Duration of hospital stay ranged from 4 to 7 days. We recommend this technique for treatment of distal amputation close to the proximal nail fold, in young individuals.

Ring avulsion injury frequently results in vascular insufficiency (venous or arterial) and soft tissue injury. We report four cases requiring revascularization where venous congestion and dorsal skin cover were achieved using a composite pedicled venous flow-through flap. We have termed this a Venous Island Conduit (VIC) Flap. Two types of flaps, homodigital and heterodigital, were used, depending on the severity of the injury. The techniques and results are discussed. Venous island conduit flaps are ideally suited to the management of ring avulsion injury and have several advantages over the alternatives.

A series of 18 cases of fasciosubcutaneous reverse flaps used to cover defects of the fingers is reported.

A patient with tuberculous infection of the hand and wrist developed a recurrent draining wound of the right forearm. After recurrent failure of surgical débridement and wound closure under antituberculous therapy, wound closure was established by means of a radial forearm fascial flap with an excellent functional and cosmetic result. Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis must be kept in mind in the diagnosis of slowly growing tumours and chronic wounds in the upper extremity.

High-pressure injection injuries to the hand are uncommon, but often result in poor outcome or even amputation. We report a review of the 28 cases treated surgically in our department over the last 10 years and have examined the factors leading to increased morbidity. The severity of these injuries was related to the nature of the injected material, involvement of the tendon sheath and proximal spread of the injected substance. All cases in which the digit was noted to be poorly perfused from the outset resulted in amputation. We conclude that early amputation should be considered in cases in which the affected digit is initially cool or poorly perfused.

Over a 6-month period 147 consecutive deep hand lacerations referred to a plastic surgery department were explored in 136 adult patients. At operation 121 complete tendon divisions, and 72 nerve injuries were found. Accident and emergency (A&E) officers diagnosed only 64% of tendon divisions compared with 84% for the admitting hand surgeons. Nerve injuries were more accurately diagnosed, 87% by A&E officers compared with 94% by hand surgeons. These findings support the view that significant palmar hand lacerations should be referred for a hand surgery opinion.

Objective measures of hand function have been used to assess the outcome of rehabilitation following trauma. However, subjective assessments of function have been avoided by clinicians due to the difficulty in proving their validity and reliability. We have developed a subjective hand function scoring system (HFS), based on an activities of daily living assessment, which is used in planning and monitoring progress through rehabilitation. The HFS for 64 traumatic hand injuries were assessed on admission and discharge, and a significant improvement was found. There was a positive correlation between the HFS on admission and both the severity of injury, and the length of time off work. This scoring system is not validated, but this study illustrates the use of subjective functional scoring systems in the planning, delivery and evaluation of rehabilitation.

Injection studies using methylene blue and latex were used in 60 digits from 40 cadavers to study how anaesthetic fluid injected into the flexor tendon sheath might spread around the proximal part of the finger. The injected solution escaped from the flexor tendon sheath around the vincular vessels which are present near the base and head of the proximal phalanx. Outside the digital canal, the dye flowed smoothly through the perivascular loose areolar tissue and spread alongside the main digital vessels and nerves and their palmar and dorsal branches.

The radial digital nerve of the index finger is susceptible to injury during penetrating trauma or elective release of the Al pulley. The intersection of a line drawn down the midline of the index finger and the proximal palmar crease identifies the location of the radial digital nerve. This method of identifying the topography of the nerve should assist the surgeon in determining the likelihood of injury after penetrating trauma, and preventing injury during elective procedures.

We calculated the interdigital web ratios for children between the ages of 5 and 6 and 10 and 11 years. We compared these ratios with those seen in adults and conclude that there is a change in finger web morphology with age. We found that a photocopier provided images of similar quality to conventional photography.

The goal of this study was to determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of static and moving two-point discrimination, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing, Tinel’s test, manual motor testing of abductor pollicis brevis, vibration and Phalen’s test in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Twelve patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome were examined in an outpatient setting. The interobserver reliability was satisfactory for all tests except for Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing. Intraobserver reliability was also satisfactory for all tests. Static two point discrimination had higher reliability than moving two-point discrimination. Seven tests for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome were reliable in the hands of skilled health care professionals. Hand surgeons and hand therapists examined patients more reliably than occupational health workers.

Chronic painful post-traumatic instability of the radial collateral ligament complex of the metacarpophalangeal joint of a finger was treated by tendon graft reconstruction in 24 patients. Seventeen patients (20 joints) were available for a retrospective study at a mean follow-up time of 105 months. Eighty percent of the joints showed excellent or good results, with relief of pain, return of adequate stability, a near normal range of motion and absence of degenerative changes.

In a prospective study we evaluated the results of 272 distal radial fractures by their involvement of the distal radioulnar joint. Impaired function following altered anatomy at the distal radius can be explained by dysfunction of the distal radioulnar joint. Ulnar styloid avulsions contribute to a poorer result because of their effect on distal radioulnar joint function.

A prospective study was undertaken to determine the clinical importance of the different carpal instabilities following dorsally displaced distal radial fractures (Colles’ type). All patients were followed for 1 year and a Cooney score and X-ray evaluation were done. Nine different carpal instabilities were evaluated. Only dissociative DISI and ulnar translocation showed significant clinical differences at 1 year follow-up. It is therefore recommended that a dissociative DISI, usually caused by scapholunate dissociation, should be treated by percutaneous pinning at the time of the initial treatment.

A variety of reconstructive procedures have been suggested for stabilizing the ulnar shaft following resection of the distal ulna for tumour. We present the results of a series of nine distal ulnar tumour resections in which four different stabilization techniques were employed. We based our results on an evaluation of function, pain, motion, strength and instability. We obtained good or excellent results in seven patients treated with a soft tissue stabilization of the ulnar stump. One patient did not undergo any stabilization procedure and scored fair in our system. A further patient who required a radiocarpal arthrodesis also had an inferior result. These results suggest that soft tissue stabilization of the ulnar stump should be performed whenever possible.

We studied the morphology and distribution of nerve endings in the human triangular fibrocartilage complex using both silver staining and immunohistochemical staining using a protein specific to nerve fibres.

Free nerve endings were found in the ulnar side of the triangular fibrocartilage complex, especially in the ulnar collateral ligament, meniscus homologue and the adjacent collagen fibre area of the peripheral part of the ulnar side of the articular disc. Meissner’s and Krause’s corpuscles were observed in the ulnar collateral ligament and meniscus homologue.

The fact that free nerve endings were observed in the meniscus homologue and adjacent collagen fibre area of the peripheral part of the ulnar side of the articular disc suggests that this disc may be a source of wrist pain. The presence of nerve end bulbs in the triangular fibrocartilage complex also suggests a possible role for corpuscles as mechanoreceptors.

In order to explore the influence of an isolated congenital hand malformation on psychomotor development, we performed an exploratory, observational study on 18 children with triphalangeal thumbs. The investigative procedure consisted of a hand function examination, a semi-structured interview with the mother about the development of the child, the so-called “Hand test”, and the “Child Behaviour Check List”.

Our observations suggest specific developmental difficulties in fine motor skills and language development, but the children showed no signs of behavioural psychopathology.

This study examines one of the largest pedigrees with radial polydactyly type IV (uncomplicated polysyndactyly) comprising a total of 69 individuals, of whom 26 have been affected over six generations. Typical manifestations of the pedigree were bilateral radial and ulnar digital duplications, as well as syndactyly between the middle and ring fingers and the second and third toes. There was no craniofacial anomaly in any of the 17 cases examined physically. This observation suggests that radial polydactyly type IV and Greig craniofacial-synostosis syndrome with similar digital manifestations are clinically-distinct entities.

A rare variant of mirror hand is described. The hand had eight fingers and the forearm contained an ulna and a hypoplastic radius. A classification of the mirror hand-multiple hand spectrum is offered and its embryology discussed.

I report the case of a 15-year-old white girl with an asymptomatic scapholunotriquetral fusion associated with a capitometacarpal coalition in the right wrist. She had additional anomalies of the fifth ray including shortening and ulnar deviation of the fifth metacarpal, brachydactyly of the little finger, fusion of the fourth and fifth metacarpals and absence of the ulnar styloid.

We investigated the occupation histories of 178 patients with idiopathic trigger finger. When compared with the 1991 Census data, the distribution of their occupations was not significantly different from the local general population. It is concluded that the vast majority of trigger fingers develop for reasons other than occupation.

We describe stenosis of the A2 pulley in a 13-month-old infant following a dislocation of a proximal interphalangeal joint, resulting in triggering of the finger.

Bennett’s fracture of the base of the metacarpal of the thumb and avulsion of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb are both relatively common injuries. It is, however, rare for the two lesions to occur simultaneously and we report such a case.

We report a case of atraumatic dislocation of the trapeziometacarpal joint secondary to osteoarthritis. An attritional rupture of the anterior oblique carpometacarpal ligament is thought to have occurred, allowing complete dislocation which has led to a reduction in the patient’s pain.

Palmar dislocations of the long finger metacarpophalangeal joint are extremely rare and easily missed at the first clinical examination. We describe a palmar metacarpophalangeal dislocation of the long finger following a hyperflexion injury. The presentation, aetiology and treatment are discussed.

We report a case of avulsion of the insertion of flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon from a distal phalangeal enchondroma.

A case of idiopathic avascular necrosis of the right trapezoid is presented. The aetiology was not clear. Treatment consisted of bone curettage, autologous bone graft and revascularization with a dorsal metacarpal artery.

A case of avascular non-traumatic necrosis of the metacarpal head in a 36-year-old woman is reported. Treatment was by curettage of the necrotic bone and packing with cancellous grafts.

This is a case report of a 4-year-old child presenting with a false aneurysm of a common digital artery. Failure to diagnose it led to incorrect treatment which was followed by rupture of the aneurysm and life-threatening haemorrhage.

A case of delayed extensor tendon rupture is reported. This followed repeated attempts at intravenous cannulation 16 months previously. The differential diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Juxta-epiphyseal fractures of the proximal phalanx are relatively common. A case report and literature review calls attention to the possibility of entrapment of either a flexor or extensor tendon in this type of fracture.