Management of combined atlas and axis fractures: a systematic review.

Background: Combined atlas-axis fractures are rare occurrences with substantially higher rates of neurologic deficits compared with isolated injuries. Given the intricate anatomic relationship between the atlas and axis vertebra, variable fracture patterns may occur, warranting special considerations from surgeons.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE was performed following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Spondylolysis and Isthmic Spondylolisthesis: A Guide to Diagnosis and Management.

Introduction: Spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis are commonly implicated as organic causes of low back pain in this population. Many patients involved in sports that require repetitive hyperextension of the lumbar spine like diving, weightlifting, gymnastics and wrestling develop spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis. While patients are typically asymptomatic in mild forms, the hallmark of symptoms in more advanced disease include low back pain, radiculopathy, postural changes and rarely, neurologic deficits.

Characteristics and Publication Rates for Podium Presentations at National Hand Surgery Meetings from 2007 to 2012.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the research presented at the annual meetings of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) and the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS). Podium presentation data were extracted from the abstract books of the annual meetings of the ASSH and AAHS from 2007 to 2012. Corresponding publications were identified using searchable online publication databases and an algorithm linking authorship and content.

Four-Corner Arthrodesis versus Proximal Row Carpectomy: Risk Factors and Complications Associated with Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use.

 This article compares opioid use patterns following four-corner arthrodesis (FCA) and proximal row carpectomy (PRC) and identifies risk factors and complications associated with prolonged opioid consumption.  The PearlDiver Research Program was used to identify patients undergoing primary FCA (Current Procedural Terminology [CPT] codes 25820, 25825) or PRC (CPT 25215) from 2007 to 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, perioperative opioid use, and postoperative complications were assessed.

Gorham Disease Limited to the Left Upper Extremity Without Hand Involvement.

In this case report, we present a young female patient with a history of Gorham disease, who sustained pathologic fractures of the left radius and ulna after a low-impact fall. Massive osteolysis of the left forearm and wrist was noted on plain radiographs. The patient had had 8 previous left upper-extremity fractures without evidence of disease in any other area of the body.

A Nationwide Epidemiological Analysis of Finger Infections Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States From 2012 to 2016.

There is a paucity of literature exploring the epidemiology of finger infections presenting to emergency departments (EDs) on a national scale. The purpose of this study was to determine the national incidence of and risk factors for finger infections. Finger infections presenting to EDs between 2012 and 2016 were identified in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database.

Different Suture Materials for Arthroscopic Transtibial Pull-out Repair of Medial Meniscal Posterior Root Tears: A Human Biomechanical Study.

Background: Transtibial pull-out repair of the medial meniscal posterior root (MMPR) has been largely assessed through biomechanical studies. Biomechanically comparing different suture types would further optimize MMPR fixation and affect clinical care.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal suture material for MMPR fixation.

Seasonal Trends in Traumatic Digit Amputations: Experience of a Level І and a Level ІІ Hospital in a Northeastern State.

Traumatic digit amputations are common hand injuries in the United States. The primary aim of our study was to describe the relationship between season and mechanisms of amputation. The Emergency Department and Orthopaedic Surgery Billing Department databases of our level І institution in the Northeast were reviewed to identify patients with a traumatic digit amputation between January 2010 and December 2015.

Management of Diabetic Trigger Finger.

Diabetics have a much greater prevalence of trigger finger than nondiabetics and are more likely to have severe symptoms. Diabetic trigger finger may be more accurately described on a spectrum of diabetic hand pathology alongside carpal tunnel syndrome and cheiroarthropathy. Recent publications have called into question the current treatment algorithm for diabetic trigger finger.

The fate of linear DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata: the role of homologous and non-homologous end joining.

In vivo assembly of plasmids has become an increasingly used process, as high throughput studies in molecular biology seek to examine gene function. In this study, we investigated the plasmid construction technique called gap repair cloning (GRC) in two closely related species of yeast - Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata. GRC utilizes homologous recombination (HR) activity to join a linear vector and a linear piece of DNA that contains base pair homology.