Biomechanical comparison of two InternalBrace™ reinforced thumb ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction techniques.

Background: Chronic ulnar collateral ligament ruptures of the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint are often not eligible for direct surgical repair and ligament reconstruction could be considered. Several reconstruction techniques are published, with different types of configurations and fixation methods of the tendon grafts. However, failure of the reconstruction with recurrent instability is still a problem, despite stable graft to bone fixation.

Biomechanical Comparison of Modified Adams-Berger and DX technique in DRUJ Reconstruction.

 Adams-Berger ligamentoplasty is a widely accepted reconstruction for unrepairable triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries with instability. Failure of the reconstruction and recurrent instability is still a clinical problem. Internal brace augmentation of tendon grafts is gaining more popularity, but use in the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is not yet published.

Bilateral arthroscopic tendon interposition arthroplasty of the thumb carpometacarpal joint in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a case report.

A common finding in progressive osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb is ligamentous laxity. In patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which is a disorder characterized by generalized ligamentous laxity, splinting and arthrodesis have been recommended because of the random results achieved by other reconstructive procedures. We report a patient with thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis secondary to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome who was treated with bilateral arthroscopic tendon interposition arthroplasty.

Dynamic intradigital external fixation for proximal interphalangeal joint fracture dislocations.

Purpose: Many skeletal traction devices have been described to treat fracture dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. Most of these techniques are technically challenging or involve cumbersome frames. We present a design modification that enhances the stability of a simple dynamic fixation system described previously and report our results with this technique.

A simple fixation method for unstable bony mallet finger.

Closed treatment has provided good results in uncomplicated cases of mallet finger; however, surgical fixation is recommended when there is involvement of more than one third of the base of the distal phalanx. Various techniques have been described for this purpose. The goal of this report is to present a simple method of K-wire fixation and show our results with this procedure.

Ulnohumeral arthroplasty: results in primary degenerative arthritis of the elbow.

Our results with the ulnohumeral arthroplasty are presented. Seventeen patients were evaluated at an average followup greater than 36 months (range, 24-50 months). The average age of the patients was 52 years (range, 40-74 years).

Insulin growth factor-1 decreases muscle atrophy following denervation.

Despite modern microsurgical techniques for nerve repair, functional outcome following proximal injury is often unsatisfactory because irreversible muscle atrophy may develop before reinnervation occurs. Because insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been shown to improve muscle regeneration after injury, and may have a role in muscle preservation following denervation, the purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the histological, immunohistochemical, and electrophysiological differences between normal, denervated, and IGF-1-injected denervated muscle over an 8-week period. Denervated mice gastrocnemius muscles demonstrated a decrease in muscle weight, a decrease in myofiber diameter, an absence of muscle regeneration, an early increase in the number of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), and a decrease in fast-twitch and maximum tetanic strength as compared to normal muscle up to 8 weeks following denervation.