Radial Nerve Palsy Recovery With Fractures of the Humerus: An Updated Systematic Review.

Introduction: Radial nerve palsies with humeral shaft fractures have historically been treated with expectant management. A previous systematic review by Shao et al, based on studies published from 1964 to 2004, purported no difference in the rate of recovery between patients treated with early surgical intervention versus expectant treatment. However, the authors combined expectant treatment to include patients treated nonsurgically and those with delayed surgery.

Complications of Volar Plating of Distal Radius Fractures: A Systematic Review.

 In recent years, there has been an increased utilization of volar locking plate fixation of distal radius fractures (DRFs). However, reported long-term complication rates with this technique remain unclear.  The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the pooled incidence of complications associated with volar locking plating of DRF.

A Cost Analysis of Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery Performed Wide Awake versus under Sedation.

Background: Hand surgery under local anesthesia only has been used more frequently in recent years. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative time and cost for carpal tunnel release performed under local anesthesia ("wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet," or WALANT) only to carpal tunnel release performed under intravenous sedation.

Methods: A retrospective comparison of intraoperative (operating room) surgical time and postoperative (postanesthesia care unit) time for consecutive carpal tunnel release procedures performed under both intravenous sedation and wide-awake local anesthesia was undertaken.

A Prospective Randomized Study Analyzing Preoperative Opioid Counseling in Pain Management After Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery.

Purpose: Prescription opioid misuse has become increasingly prevalent in the United States. Preoperative opioid counseling has been proposed to decrease opioid consumption after surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of preoperative opioid counseling on patients' pain experience and opioid consumption after carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery.

Factors Contributing to Hospital Stay and Total Inpatient Charges in Total Ankle Arthroplasty: Review of the National Inpatient Sample.

Unlabelled: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is commonly performed for end-stage ankle osteoarthritis. Given rising costs and declining reimbursements, identifying variables increasing length of stay (LOS) and total inpatient charges (TICs) of TAA is necessary for providing cost-effective care. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was reviewed between 1993 and 2010, identifying LOS and TIC for TAA.

A Mobile-Based Surgical Simulation Application: A Comparative Analysis of Efficacy Using a Carpal Tunnel Release Module.

Purpose: The utilization of surgical simulation continues to grow in medical training. The TouchSurgery application (app) is a new interactive virtual reality smartphone- or tablet-based app that offers a step-by-step tutorial and simulation for the execution of various operations. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the app versus traditional teaching modalities utilizing the "Carpal Tunnel Surgery" module.

A Prospective Evaluation of Opioid Utilization After Upper-Extremity Surgical Procedures: Identifying Consumption Patterns and Determining Prescribing Guidelines.

Background: Although adequate management of postoperative pain with oral analgesics is an important aspect of surgical procedures, inadvertent overprescribing can lead to excess availability of opioids in the community for potential diversion. The purpose of our study was to prospectively evaluate opioid consumption following outpatient upper-extremity surgical procedures to determine opioid utilization patterns and to develop prescribing guidelines.

Methods: All patients undergoing outpatient upper-extremity surgical procedures over a consecutive 6-month period had the following prospective data collected: patient demographic characteristics, surgical details, anesthesia type, and opioid prescription and consumption patterns.