Introduction. Compartment syndrome can be a life changing consequence of injury to a limb. If not diagnosed and treated early it can lead to permanent disability. Neurovascular observations done on the ward by nursing staff, are often our early warning system to those developing compartment syndrome. But are these adequate for detecting the early signs of compartment syndrome? Our aim was to compare the quality and variability of charts across the UK major trauma network. Materials & Methods. All major trauma centres in England and Scotland were invited to supply a copy of the neurovascular chart routinely used. We assessed how such charts record relevant information. Specific primary data points included were pain scores, analgesia requirements, pain on passive stretch and decreased sensation in the first web space specifically. As secondary objectives, we assessed how late signs were recorded, whether clear instructions were included, quantitative scores and the use of regional blocks recorded. Results. A response rate of 46% was achieved. Of the charts reviewed, 25% documented pain scores or pain on passive movement. Pain on movement and analgesia requirements were documented in 33% and 8% respectively. Specific sensation within the 1. st. webspace was recorded in 16%. No charts recorded use of regional block. All charts recorded global sensation, movement (unspecified), pulse and colour whilst 66% documented capillary refill and 83% temperature. Instructions were included in 41% of charts. Conclusions. In 2016, the BOA supported publication of an observation chart for this purpose however, it is not widely used. In our study, late signs of compartment syndrome were generally well recorded. However, documentation of early signs and regional blocks was poor. This may lead to delays in diagnosis with significant clinical and medicolegal consequences. Standardisation of documentation by updating and promoting the use of the pre-existing chart would ensure highest quality care across the network

Abstract

Nerve transfer has become a common and often effective reconstructive strategy for proximal and complex peripheral nerve injuries of the upper limb. This case-based discussion explores the principles and potential benefits of nerve transfer surgery and offers in-depth discussion of several established and valuable techniques including: motor transfer for elbow flexion after musculocutaneous nerve injury, deltoid reanimation for axillary nerve palsy, intrinsic re-innervation following proximal ulnar nerve repair, and critical sensory recovery despite non-reconstructable median nerve lesions.

Moderate to severe hallux valgus is conventionally treated by proximal metatarsal osteotomy. Several recent studies have shown that the indications for distal metatarsal osteotomy with a distal soft-tissue procedure could be extended to include moderate to severe hallux valgus.

The purpose of this prospective randomised controlled trial was to compare the outcome of proximal and distal Chevron osteotomy in patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral correction of moderate to severe hallux valgus.

The original study cohort consisted of 50 female patients (100 feet). Of these, four (8 feet) were excluded for lack of adequate follow-up, leaving 46 female patients (92 feet) in the study. The mean age of the patients was 53.8 years (30.1 to 62.1) and the mean duration of follow-up 40.2 months (24.1 to 80.5). After randomisation, patients underwent a proximal Chevron osteotomy on one foot and a distal Chevron osteotomy on the other.

At follow-up, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hallux metatarsophalangeal interphalangeal (MTP-IP) score, patient satisfaction, post-operative complications, hallux valgus angle, first-second intermetatarsal angle, and tibial sesamoid position were similar in each group. Both procedures gave similar good clinical and radiological outcomes.

This study suggests that distal Chevron osteotomy with a distal soft-tissue procedure is as effective and reliable a means of correcting moderate to severe hallux valgus as proximal Chevron osteotomy with a distal soft-tissue procedure.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:202–7.

We reviewed 91 patients (103 feet) who underwent a Ludloff osteotomy combined with additional procedures. According to the combined procedures performed, patients were divided into Group I (31 feet; first web space release), Group II (35 feet; Akin osteotomy and trans-articular release), or Group III (37 feet; Akin osteotomy, supplementary axial Kirschner (K-) wire fixation, and trans-articular release). Each group was then further subdivided into severe and moderate deformities. The mean hallux valgus angle correction of Group II was significantly greater than that of Group I (p = 0.001). The mean intermetatarsal angle correction of Group III was significantly greater than that of Group II (p < 0.001). In severe deformities, post-operative incongruity of the first metatarsophalangeal joint was least common in Group I (p = 0.026). Akin osteotomy significantly increased correction of the hallux valgus angle, while a supplementary K-wire significantly reduced the later loss of intermetatarsal angle correction. First web space release can be recommended for severe deformity. Additionally, K-wire fixation (odds ratio (OR) 5.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21 to 24.39); p = 0.032) and the pre-operative hallux valgus angle (OR 2.20 (95% CI 1.11 to 4.73); p = 0.001) were shown to be factors affecting recurrence of hallux valgus after Ludloff osteotomy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:803–8

Injectable collagenase is an alternative to surgical treatment for Dupuytren’s disease. Previous studies have reported on the effectiveness of collagenase in finger contractures. This prospective study reports on the short-term safety and efficacy of collagenase treatment in five thumb and first web space Dupuytren’s contractures. The thumb and first web space contractures were treated with injectable collagenase in four consecutive patients (five hands) with experience of previous surgical digital fasciectomy. The thumb contracture was measured by angle and span in two planes of thumb extension and abduction before injection and after manipulation. Collagenase treatment resulted in release of the contracture with a mean increase in thumb to index angle from 23° (10° to 35°) to 56° (45° to 60°) in extension and from 30° (10° to 50°) to 58° (50° to 65°) in abduction and a mean increase in span from 1.9 cm (1 to 3.5) to 3.9 cm (3 to 5) in extension and from 2.4 cm (1.5 to 3.5) to 3.9 cm (3 to 4.5) in abduction. All patients reported an increased range of movement and function and described collagenase therapy as preferable to surgery. In the short-term collagenase is an effective, well-tolerated and safe alternative to surgery for Dupuytren’s disease of the thumb

In this case report a four-year-old girl with ulnar dimelia is described. She had six digits without mirror symmetry in her right hand. The first pre-axial digit was excised and true pollicisation performed for the second pre-axial digit. The arterial anatomy was abnormal but there was not symmetrical development of the arterial tree.

A 16-year-old professional female ballet student sustained a plantar flexion-inversion injury to her left ankle while dancing. Clinical examination and MRI suggested subluxation of the tibiotalar joint. However, accurate diagnosis was hampered by a transient palsy of the common peroneal nerve. It was subsequently established that she had also sustained a dislocation of her calcaneocuboid joint, a rare injury, which was successfully stabilised by using a hamstring graft. The presentation and management of this rare condition are discussed.

While primary squamous-cell carcinoma of the hand is common, metastasis of a squamous-cell carcinoma to the hand is very rare. It has been reported to arise from carcinoma of the lung and oesophagus and, rarely, from other tumours. We describe a patient with metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma occurring in the first web space of the hand from primary lung cancer, which remained undetected for 30 months after treatment of the metastasis

Introduction and Aims: Many surgical techniques are available for thumb reconstruction. These include deepening of the first web, flaps, osteoplastic reconstructions, toe to thumb transfer, pollicisation and metacarpal lengthening. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome following use of distraction methods for thumb lengthening. Method: Nineteen patients who underwent thumb metacarpal lengthening over a six-year period have been reviewed retrospectively. Lengthening was performed for terminal deficiency in 12 cases and for segmental bone loss in seven cases. The callotasis method was used in 11 patients and the Matev method in eight. The Orthofix mini-external fixator was used as the distracting device in all cases. Results: Final gains in length achieved measured from 22mm to 41mm, with an average fixator application time of 86 days (range 58 to 125). Complications included two malunions, one overlengthening, four pin migrations through bone and six cases of pin track sepsis. There were no skin or neurovascular complications. Narrowing of the first web space has been found to be a significant problem associated with thumb metacarpal lengthening in this study. This necessitated subsequent deepening of the web space in 14 patients with adductor release in seven patients. Conclusion: Distraction methods for thumb reconstruction are relatively easy, safe and do not require special facilities or prolonged theatre time. Where indicated, these techniques provide a useful alternative to other methods of thumb reconstruction

Reconstruction of large composite tissue defects with expose tendons, neurovascular structures, joints and bones is difficult and challenging problem. Such difficult situations can be handled in a single stage with free tissue transfer provided microsurgical expertise is available. A review of 12 cases of free scapular flap is being presented, performed over period of 20 months from December 97 to July 1999. Free scapular flap is based on transverse branch of circumflex scapular artery, which is branch of subscapular artery. All the patients in this series were male, with average age of 29 years. The mechanism of injury leading to tissue defects was, RTA 7 cases, industrial accidents 3 cases and bomb blast injury 2 cases. The various sites requiring free scapular flaps were, plantar aspect of foot, heel and leg in 5 cases, dorsum of hand, first web space and forearm in 3 cases, axilla and upper arm in 2 cases and one each for popliteal fossa and dorsum of foot. Only 4 cases presented to AKUH within 6 hours of injury while remaining 8 cases had prior treatment somewhere else and subsequent polymicrobial infection. In three cases, 2-3 debridements were done before coverage with free flap. Average defect size was 18cm long and 11cm wide. All of these cases had associated fracture. Free scapular flap is very robust flap with long vascular pedicle and large lumen artery, which can be anastomosed very easily. Donor site is closed primarily without any morbidity and scar is hidden. Scapular flap can be considered as workhorse for extremity defects

Jimmy Craig had many talents and virtues. A keen sportsman, he played rugby for his school and university and in his younger days was an amateur boxer of note. Directly from medical school he joined the Medical Corps of the South African Forces fighting in the Western desert, and then went up the boot of Italy. On his return to Johannesburg, his home town, he developed expertise in cerebral palsy treatment and surgery. From about 1970 until the year before his death in 1992, he regularly visited Ikhwezi Lokusa School for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, just outside Umtata, once or twice a year. His visits lasted a week at a time. In those years he assessed approximately 1 500 children and operated on about 600. For the first 15 years, the operations were almost exclusively soft tissue surgery: tendon lengthening, tendon transfers and clubfoot releases. As the facilities in Umtata were upgraded, he performed an increasing amount of bone surgery. The operations he did were mainly on the lower limbs. They included lengthening of the triceps surae at the level of the gastrocnemius, lengthening of the tendo Achillis, release of hamstrings and hip adductors, recession of iliopsoas recession at the hips and Souter slides. On the upper limbs he fairly regularly performed surgical release of the first web space and release of flexor carpi ulnaris. He closely supervised the postoperative care provided by the school, which always had at least one expert Bobarth trained physiotherapist in residence

We made a prospective study of 208 patients with tibial fractures treated by reamed intramedullary nailing. Of these, 11 (5.3%) developed dysfunction of the peroneal nerve with no evidence of a compartment syndrome. The patients with this complication were significantly younger (mean age 25.6 years) and most had closed fractures of the forced-varus type with relatively minor soft-tissue damage. The fibula was intact in three, fractured in the distal or middle third in seven, with only one fracture in the proximal third. Eight of the 11 patients showed a ‘dropped hallux’ syndrome, with weakness of extensor hallucis longus and numbness in the first web space, but no clinical involvement of extensor digitorum longus or tibialis anterior. This was confirmed by nerve-conduction studies in three of the eight patients. There was good recovery of muscle function within three to four months in all cases, but after one year three patients still had some residual tightness of extensor hallucis longus, and two some numbness in the first web space. No patient required further treatment