Variation of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve identified within the tendon sheath of the flexor carpal radialis

Purpose: During volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures, we have encountered patients with an anomalous course of the palmar cutaneous branch (PCB) of the median nerve within the sheath of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) tendon. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and location of variations of the PCB within the sheath of the FCR tendon.Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 83 patients who underwent volar locking plate fixations through a modified Henry approach for distal radius fractures from July 2018 to April 2020. When we encountered an anomalous PCB within the sheath of the FCR tendon, we documented the specific finding and location where the PCB entered the sheath of the FCR tendon.Results: There were nine patients (10.8%) who had an anomalous course of PCB penetrating the sheath of the FCR tendon. The average entering point of PCB into the sheath of the FCR tendon was 3.07 cm from the distal wrist crease (range, 2.5–3.6 cm).Conclusion: An anomalous course of the PCB entering the sheath of the FCR tendon was observed at a high frequency (10.8%). Care must be taken not to injure the PCB during a dissecting of the FCR sheath during a modified Henry approach for a distal radius fracture.

Intraneural glomus tumor within digital nerve: a case report

A glomus tumor is a soft tissue tumor that arises from the glomus body, a peripheral organ responsible for temperature regulation of the skin. It accounts for about 1% to 5% of tumors occurring in the hand, is mainly located in the subungal, and is less than 1 cm in size. Diagnosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms, and the main symptoms are pain at the site of glomus tumor, pinpoint tenderness, and cold intolerance. The pain is severe and usually requires surgical resection, and the results of treatment are good with complete resection of the tumor. In this case report, the patient is a 37-year-old female who developed pain in the radial side around the proximal interphalangeal joint of the right second finger without any traumatic history. On physical examination and imaging, it was diagnosed as a glomus tumor of the digital nerve and resected. After surgery, the symptoms improved and there was no recurrence. A careful examination and accurate diagnosis and treatment are necessary for symptomatic masses.

Band acro-osteolysis in a black female: a case report and review of literature

Acro-osteolysis is a bone resorption reaction that progresses slowly in the distal phalanx of the hand and foot and is associated with various diseases. It can be classified as idiopathic or secondary. Although the mechanism of acro-osteolysis has not been fully elucidated, the chronic ischemic injury appears to have a significant effect, and bone metabolism dysregulation due to the accompanying calcinosis or peripheral neuropathy also appears to contribute. Acro-osteolysis can show various clinical and radiological features, and differential diagnosis of the underlying etiology is essential. It is a rare sporadic disease worldwide, and the authors experienced a patient with acro-osteolysis suspected of idiopathic cause in a black woman, so we report this case with literature reviews.

Compartment syndrome as a donor-site complication of anterolateral thigh free flap: a case report

Compartment syndrome (CS), a complication at the donor site of anterolateral thigh free flap (ALT-FF), has a low incidence. Our patient was a 26-year-old male, a professional soldier with large thigh muscles. His defect on the right ankle was reconstructed with a 30×10 cm2-sized ALT-FF. By the pinch test, the flap width was designed to be sufficient for primary closure of the donor. However, on the postoperative day 8, severe pain, tense and purulent discharge were found at the donor site. We diagnosed CS clinically, and immediately performed incision and drainage. There are various extrinsic or intrinsic factors that can influence the development of CS. Therefore, in patients with these contributing factors, such as a young man with high muscle mass, a higher level of suspicion for CS is needed. Moreover, it would be safer to design the flap width smaller than the pinch test or to cover the donor site with a skin graft.

Atypical forearm fractures associated with long-term bisphosphonate use: the perspective of a hand surgeon

Bisphosphonates have been widely used to treat osteoporosis, but atypical femoral fractures have emerged as serious complication. Similar fractures of the forearm have been reported since 2010 and retrospective studies have revealed a number of details. Clinicians should remember that bisphosphonates can affect all bony structures in the body. When misdiagnosed as an ordinary fracture and treated with surgical fixation, unexpected nonunion may occur. Therefore, I would like to share our experience from the perspective of a hand surgeon.

Correction of Hand Deformities after Burn

Hand burns can lead to deformities even after successful primary healing. They are the most common cause of skin contractures involving the hand. This review article discusses ways to correct claw deformity, flexion contracture in palm and finger, and web space contracture, which are post-burn hand deformities commonly encountered in clinical practice. Loss of skin is the end result in many causes of hand deformities after burn. Therefore, reinforcing the lost skin is the principle of corrective surgery. Even if the skin is thicker than the full-thickness skin, it will engraft if damage to the tissue and blood vessels of the recipient is minimized. The thicker the skin, the less is the re-contraction and growth. The foot is an ideal donor site for skin graft on the hand. In particular, the instep or the area below the malleolar is a very good donor site. First web space of the hand is very important for hand function, and it must be reconstructed with Z-plasty, skin graft, and free flap step by step according to the degree of contraction.

Reconstruction of Sciatic Nerve Using Bilateral Vascularized Sural Nerve Grafts: A Case Report

Injury of peripheral nerve may require reconstruction for motor and sensory function recovery. However, when the nerve defect is long, especially in the lower extremities, reconstruction with successful function recovery proved to be difficult. We documented a case of bilateral vascularized sural nerve graft repair of a large and long sciatic nerve defect following malignant tumor resection on posterior thigh. Although we were unable to achieve satisfactory outcomes in motor function recovery, we did accomplish some sensory function recovery.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Prostaglandin usage for Shred Injury in the Fingers: A Case Report

A 53-year-old woman came to the emergency department because her right hand had been stuck in a potato-shredding machine for 30 minutes. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers were shredded into multiple slices deep into the phalangeal bone, which showed good circulation, and the wounds were cleaned with massive saline irrigation. The slices of each finger were put together to form the finger, which was sutured with nylon, and the circulation of the fingers remained good. Three weeks of gentamicin, cefazolin, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy were used for acute traumatic ischemia since the color change of fingers was observed. Six weeks of prostaglandin was used for circulation recovery. The patient was able to grasp with minimal pain and do flexion and extension, and the wound was completely healed. Radiography showed the bone union process, and the digital infrared thermal imaging test showed relatively good circulation.

Segmental Schwannomatosis in the Upper Extremity: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Schwannomas, the most frequently occurring benign tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath, generally remain as painless swellings for several years before diagnosis. Multiple schwannomas involving different nerves within the same extremity are rare. We report a rare case of a 61-year-old female who presented with multiple schwannomas in the palmar common and proper digital nerves, 15 years after the resection of a median nerve schwannoma within the same upper extremity. Using preestablished diagnostic criteria, she was diagnosed with segmental schwannomatosis. After careful surgical resection, biopsy confirmed the diagnosis and she recovered without neurological symptoms or limitations in the range of motion. Literature review revealed only four case series on segmental schwannomatosis, indicating its rarity. Postoperative sensory deficits are more likely in cases with multiple schwannomas in the common and proper digital nerves. We demonstrate that such complications can be avoided by meticulous dissection and separation of the tumors from the nerve fibers.

The Use of the Dorsal Metacarpal Artery for Reconstruction of Distal Dorsal Finger Defects: An Anatomic Study and Clinical Experience

Purpose: Dorsal metacarpal artery (DMA) flaps have been used successfully for distal dorsal finger defects. Some studies have reported inconsistent DMA anatomy, and there have been no studies on the anatomic variation of DMAs in Asian cadavers. Therefore, we evaluated the anatomy of DMA using Korean fresh cadavers and reported the clinical outcomes of the DMA flaps.Methods: In the cadaver study, four human forearms from adult fresh cadavers were dissected. The dorsal metacarpal arteries and their communicating branches were identified. From July 2016 to June 2019, five patients with dorsal finger defects underwent a first DMA (FDMA) flap or a reversed DMA (RDMA) flap.Results: In our cadaver study, the ulnar branch of the FDMA and the second and third DMAs were absent in two of four (50%) of the cadavers. In our case series, five flaps survived, and one had partial necrosis, which healed by the second intention. The mean operation time was approximately 100 minutes, and the mean outpatient follow-up period was 6 months.Conclusion: DMA flaps are a reliable flap for the reconstruction of relatively large soft tissue defects of the dorsal finger. However, in our anatomical study, inconsistency of the anatomy of DMAs was identified. Therefore, preoperative Doppler examination is required to evaluate the anatomy of the DMA before considering the use of DMA flaps.