The Journal of hand surgery
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Comparative Study
Biomechanical evaluation of locking plate radial shaft fixation: unicortical locking fixation versus mixed bicortical and unicortical fixation in a sawbone model.
Compression plating is a commonly accepted technique for treating diaphyseal forearm fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stabilizing effects of two hybrid fixations that replace the end screws of a locked unicortical fixation with bicortical (locked or unlocked) screws and to compare these hybrid fixations to an unlocked bicortical fixation. ⋯ Replacing a single set of unicortical locked screws with locked or unlocked bicortical screws distant from the fracture site improves torsional stability of the construct by more than 50%, giving stability equal to standard unlocked plating. The hybrid fixation, however, with locked bicortical end screws has the best stability in AP bending.
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Distal radius osteotomy in the elderly patient using angular stable implants and Norian bone cement.
To report our results after testing the combination of two technologies--angular-stable locking screw implants and Norian SRS cement--in corrective osteotomies of the distal radius in the elderly. This technique eliminates donor site bone-graft morbidity and expands the indications of corrective osteotomies to older patients with osteoporotic bone. ⋯ We believe that corrective osteotomy of the distal radius in the elderly using angular stable implants and Norian calcium phosphate cement is a safe and predictable surgical technique, even in patients with underlying osteoporosis. It eliminates donor site morbidity, and patient-rated outcome measures demonstrated acceptable daily living function return.
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We report a case of complete rupture of the flexor pollicis longus tendon 13 months after volar fixed-angle plating of a distal radius fracture. Tendon disruption was associated with a prominent distal volar lip of the plate. ⋯ Most previous reports of flexor tendon ruptures after volar plating of distal radius fractures have been in improperly placed plates, custom-made plates that were later taken off the market, or in physiologically abnormal tendons. This may be a unique case of flexor pollicis longus rupture with a currently commercially available volar fixed-angle plate, placed at the site recommended by the manufacturer, in a patient without other predisposition to tendon rupture.
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The aim of this study was to define the outcome after dorsal or volar plating of Association for Osteosynthesis (AO) type C3 distal radius fractures based on the fracture morphology. ⋯ This study shows satisfactory functional and subjective outcome results in both groups. Group 1 had non-significant better functional results than group 2, whereas both groups showed good to very good radiology results.
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Transfer of the accessory nerve to the suprascapular nerve is a common procedure, performed to reestablish shoulder motion in patients with brachial plexus palsy. We propose dissecting both nerves via a distal oblique supraclavicular incision, which can be prolonged up to the scapular notch. The results of the transfer to the suprascapular nerve are compared with those of the combined repair of the suprascapular and axillary nerves. ⋯ Use of the accessory nerve for transfer to the suprascapular nerve ensured adequate return of shoulder function, especially when combined with a triceps motor branch transfer to the axillary nerve. The supraclavicular exposure proposed here for the suprascapular and accessory nerves is advantageous and can be extended easily to explore the suprascapular nerve at the scapular notch.