The Journal of hand surgery
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Treatment patterns of carpal tunnel surgery by members of the American Society of Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) have recently been published. The majority of cases in this study were performed in the general operating room with intravenous (IV) sedation or a Bier block. Patients were most commonly prescribed hydrocodone for postoperative pain. The majority of carpal tunnel releases at our center are performed under local anesthesia alone, with plain acetaminophen (Tylenol) or codeine prescribed for postoperative pain. The authors were interested in determining whether these differences were specific to our center or whether there were nationwide differences among the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgery (CSPS) members compared to the ASSH members. We aimed to conduct a similar study to assess current trends across members of the CSPS to assess similarities and differences compared with current practices by members of the ASSH. ⋯ This study draws comparisons between Canadian plastic surgeons and members of the ASSH with respect to carpal tunnel surgery and adherence to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Clinical Practice Guideline on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
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Comparative Study
Cost Implications of Varying the Surgical Technique, Surgical Setting, and Anesthesia Type for Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery.
Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is a common surgical procedure, representing a financial burden to the health care system. The purpose of this study was to test whether the choice of CTR technique (open carpal tunnel release [OCTR] vs endoscopic carpal tunnel release [ECTR]), surgical setting (operating room vs procedure room [PR]), and anesthetic type (local, monitored anesthesia care [MAC], Bier block, general) affected costs or payments. ⋯ This study identifies modifiable factors that may lead to cost reductions for CTR surgery.
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The location of capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the sagittal plane guides the surgical approach, and lesion location in the coronal plane influences surgical management. Although most lesions have been reported to occur between 4 o'clock and 4:30 (120° to 135° anterior to the humerus), some lesions are located elsewhere in the capitellum. The primary aim was to define the region of the capitellum affected by OCD lesions using a novel clock-face localization system. ⋯ The clock-face localization system allows for precise description of capitellar OCD lesion location, which may facilitate intraoperative decision and longitudinal monitoring.
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Excessive flexion at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint disrupts the extensor mechanism, leading to mallet finger injuries. The goal of management is to restore active DIP joint extension. We sought to learn which variables (treatment technique, injury type, time to presentation, adherence to treatment) affect clinical outcomes of pediatric mallet finger injuries. ⋯ Therapeutic IV.