Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by a giant lipoma of the hand: A case report.

Introduction And Importance: Lipomas are common benign tumours which occur in up to 2% of the population. They are classified as giant when larger than 5 cm. Although they are usually asymptomatic, giant lipomas of the hand may cause compression of the underlying tissues.

Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging to detect cartilage loss in severe osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint: comparison with histological evaluation.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for research in hand osteoarthritis, but imaging the thin cartilage layers in the hand joints remains challenging. We therefore assessed the accuracy of MRI in detecting cartilage loss in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal (CMC1) joint.

Methods: Twelve patients scheduled for trapeziectomy to treat severe symptomatic osteoarthritis of the CMC1 joint underwent a preoperative high resolution 3D spoiled gradient (SPGR) MRI scan.

[A man with a painful elbow].

A 54-year old man presented with unremitting pain in the left dorsolateral forearm, despite postural advice and glucocorticoid injections. Electromyography and MRI did not show any abnormality. Based on a clinical suspected radial tunnel syndrome, operative decompression was performed.

[Hypothenar hammer syndrome; rare arterial disorder of the hand due to blunt trauma].

The hypothenar hammer syndrome is a condition characterised by ischaemia of a finger secondary to thrombosis or an aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm of the ulnar artery in the hand. It typically occurs in the dominant hand of middle-aged men whose occupational or recreational activities require the use of the hand as a hammer. Arteriography is considered to be the gold standard for diagnosing this condition.

Application of infrared thermography for the analysis of rewarming in patients with cold intolerance.

Cold intolerance is a serious long-term problem after injury to the ulnar and median nerves, and its pathophysiology is unclear. We investigated the use of infrared thermography for the analysis of thermoregulation after injury to peripheral nerves. Four patients with injuries to the ulnar nerve and four with injuries to the median nerve (4-12 years after injury) immersed their hands in water at 15 degrees C for 5 minutes, after which infrared pictures were taken at intervals of 2-4 minutes.

Median and ulnar nerve injuries: a meta-analysis of predictors of motor and sensory recovery after modern microsurgical nerve repair.

Background: The aim of this study was to quantify variables that influence outcome after median and ulnar nerve transection injuries. The authors present a meta-analysis based on individual patient data on motor and sensory recovery after microsurgical nerve repair.

Methods: From 130 studies found after literature review, 23 articles were ultimately included, giving individual data for 623 median or ulnar nerve injuries.

Spaghetti wrist trauma: functional recovery, return to work, and psychological effects.

Background: Few studies on spaghetti wrist trauma have been published. The study populations have all consisted of small numbers of patients, and most studies have focused on functional recovery. In addition, different definitions of this injury have been used.

Long-term outcome of muscle strength in ulnar and median nerve injury: comparing manual muscle strength testing, grip and pinch strength dynamometers and a new intrinsic muscle strength dynamometer.

Objective: To compare the outcome of muscle strength with manual muscle strength testing grip and pinch strength measurements and a dynamometer which allows for measurements of the intrinsic muscles of the hand in isolation (the Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer, RIHM).

Methods: Thirty-four patients more than 2 years after ulnar and/or median nerve injury. Muscle strength was evaluated using manual muscle strength testing (MMST), grip, pinch and intrinsic muscle strength measurements.

Measuring the strength of the intrinsic muscles of the hand in patients with ulnar and median nerve injuries: reliability of the Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer (RIHM).

Purpose: To determine the reliability and measurement error of measurements of intrinsic muscle strength of a new hand-held dynamometer (the Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer [RIHM]).

Methods: With the RIHM we obtained repeated measurements of the intrinsic muscle strength of the hand in 27 patients with peripheral nerve injury of the ulnar and/or median nerve in different stages of rehabilitation. The average time period after injury was 4.

Difficulties in conducting a prospective outcome study.

The success of an outcome study depends largely on the number of recruited patients, the loss of followup, and the response rate to postal questionnaires. In this article, different strategies were proposed to increase the aforementioned items. Most presented strategies were developed because of failure of measures used earlier.

Predictors for return to work in patients with median and ulnar nerve injuries.

Purpose: One of the consequences of median and ulnar nerve trauma is delayed return to work. The aim of this study was to determine return to work (RTW) and risk factors for delayed RTW in addition to time off work (TOW). Differences among median, ulnar, and combined median-ulnar nerve injuries were examined.

Early psychological stress after forearm nerve injuries: a predictor for long-term functional outcome and return to productivity.

Forearm and wrist injuries can result in a nonfunctional hand caused by loss of motor and sensory functions. Psychological stress is known to accompany traumatic hand injuries and may therefore affect functional outcome. The authors conducted a retrospective study of 107 patients diagnosed with a median, ulnar, or combined median-ulnar nerve injury (79% response rate) who completed a questionnaire package consisting of the Impact of Event Scale (IES); Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand; and a questionnaire concerning return to work and time off work.