The role of prophylactic antibiotics in elective hand surgery.

The current literature has poorly defined the role of antibiotic agents in elective hand surgery. The reason for this may be due to a small number of well-designed studies specifically addressing the efficacy of antibiotics in hand surgery. Our purpose is to critically review the current literature in an attempt to more precisely define the role of prophylactic antibiotics in elective hand surgery.

A comparison of CT arthrography of the wrist to findings during wrist arthroscopy.

Purpose: To determine the accuracy of computed tomography after wrist arthrogram (CT arthrogram) compared with findings during wrist arthroscopy as interpreted by a musculoskeletal radiologist and a board-certified hand surgeon.

Methods: Seventy-six consecutive patients who had a wrist CT arthrogram and subsequent wrist arthroscopy were identified in the arthroscopic database of four hand surgeons working at a single institution between 2001 and 2006. Operative findings were obtained from the medical record.

Reconstruction of musculoskeletal defects following oncologic resection in 76 patients.

Between 1990 and 2002, 76 patients underwent 102 muscle flap reconstructions for extremity sarcomas. The patients had radical resection with immediate reconstruction. Reconstructions were performed by the Musculoskeletal Oncology and Plastic Surgery services.