Complete ruptures of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb are a common injury, yet little is known about their current management in the UK. The objective of this study was to assess the way complete UCL ruptures are managed in the UK. We carried out a multicentre, survey-based cross-sectional study in 37 UK centres over a 16-month period from June 2022 to September 2023. The survey results were analyzed descriptively.Aims
Methods
Patients with midcarpal instability are difficult to manage. It is a rare condition, and few studies have reported the outcomes of surgical treatment. No prospective or retrospective study has reported the results of arthroscopic palmar capsuloligamentous suturing. Our aim was to report the results of a prospective study of arthroscopic suture of this ligament complex in patients with midcarpal instability. This prospective single-centre study was undertaken between March 2012 and May 2022. The primary outcome was to evaluate the functional outcomes of arthroscopic palmar midcarpal suture. The study included 12 patients, eight male and four female, with a mean age of 27.5 years (19 to 42). They were reviewed at three months, six months, and one year postoperatively.Aims
Methods
The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in functional outcome after repair and non-repair of the pronator quadratus muscle in patients undergoing surgical treatment for a distal radial fracture with volar plating. A total of 72 patients with a distal radial fracture were included in this randomized clinical trial. They were allocated to have the pronator quadratus muscle repaired or not, after volar locked plating of a distal radial fracture. The patients, the assessor, the primary investigator, and the statistician were blinded to the allocation. Randomization was irreversibly performed using a web application that guaranteed a secure and tamper-free assignment. The primary outcome measure was the Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) after 12 months. Secondary outcomes included the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score, pronation strength, grip strength, the range of pronation and supination, complications, and the operating time.Aims
Patients and Methods
Our purpose was to determine the quality of current randomised
controlled trials (RCTs) in hand surgery using standardised metrics. Based on five-year mean impact factors, we selected the six journals
that routinely publish studies of upper extremity surgery. Using
a journal-specific search query, 62 RCTs met our inclusion criteria.
Then three blinded reviewers used the Jadad and revised Coleman Methodology
Score (RCMS) to assess the quality of the manuscripts.Aims
Materials and Methods
The degree of displacement of a fracture of the distal radius
is an important factor which can be assessed using simple radiographic
measurements. Our aim was to investigate the reliability and reproducibility
of these measurements and to determine if they should be used clinically. A 10% sample was randomly generated from 3670 consecutive adult
patients who had presented to University Hospitals of Leicester
NHS Trust between 2007 and 2010 with a fracture of the distal radius.
Radiographs of the 367 patients were assessed by two independent
reviewers. Four measurements of displacement of the fracture were recorded
and the inter-observer correlation assessed using the intra-class
correlation coefficient.Aims
Patients and Methods
Penetration of the dorsal screw when treating
distal radius fractures with volar locking plates is an avoidable complication
that causes lesions of the extensor tendon in between 2% and 6%
of patients. We examined axial fluoroscopic views of the distal
end of the radius to observe small amounts of dorsal screw penetration,
and determined the ideal angle of inclination of the x-ray beam
to the forearm when making this radiological view. Six volar locking plates were inserted at the wrists of cadavers.
The actual screw length was measured under direct vision through
a dorsal approach to the distal radius. Axial radiographs were performed
for different angles of inclination of the forearm at the elbow. Comparing axial radiological measurements and real screw length,
a statistically significant correlation could be demonstrated at
an angle of inclination between 5° and 20°. The ideal angle of inclination
required to minimise the risk of implanting over-long screws in
a dorsal horizon radiological view is 15°. Cite this article:
