OBJECTIVE: To explore the method and effectiveness of index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of superficial branch of radial nerve for treatment of thumb skin and soft tissue defect. METHODS: Between August 2019 and December 2024, 12 patients with thumb skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery were treated. There were 8 males and 4 females, aged 19-55 years, with an average age of 32 years. The wound area ranged from 2.2 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×3.5 cm. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1.5 to 6.0 hours, with an average of 4.5 hours. After thorough debridement, the wound was repaired with a index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve. The flap area ranged from 2.4 cm×2.2 cm to 6.0 cm×4.0 cm. The donor site was repaired with free skin grafting. Regular follow-up was conducted postoperatively to observe the appearance, texture, sensory recovery of the flap, and the condition of the donor site. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 30 to 72 minutes, with an average of 47 minutes; intraoperative blood loss ranged from 30 to 70 mL, with an average of 46 mL. After operation, partial necrosis occurred at the skin edge of the radial incision on the dorsum of the hand in 1 case, which healed after dressing changes; all other flaps survived uneventfully, with primary wound healing. The skin grafts at the donor sites all survived. All 12 patients were followed up 5-36 months, with an average of 14 months. The appearance and texture of the flaps were good. At last follow-up, the two-point discrimination of the flaps ranged from 4 to 9 mm, with an average of 5.2 mm. According to the functional evaluation criteria for upper limb issued by the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 11 cases and good in 1 case. No scar contracture, pain, or joint movement limitation was observed at the donor sites. CONCLUSION For patients with skin and soft tissue defects of the thumb accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery, the index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve can be selected. This method has advantages such as shorter operation time, less intraoperative bleeding, and good postoperative appearance and sensation of the flap.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Thumb/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Radial Nerve/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps/innervation* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Fingers/surgery* ; Skin/injuries*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze an injury scene during fly fish boat riding (FBR).METHODS: We conducted survey on 12 patients who had humerus shaft fractures during FBR between 2011 and 2016 at three university-based emergency rooms. Individual information, injury mechanism, classification of humerus shaft fracture, and combined injury were recorded from medical document and telephone interview.RESULTS: The injury happened when the kite was turned over and fall into the water in 10 patients (82%); the kite was turned over in the air in one patient (9%), and a leash between kite and boat was broken in one patient (9%). All patients showed 12-B1 or 12-B3 type distal humerus shaft fracture. And there were combined contralateral distal humeral shaft fractures in two patients, vertebral compression fracture in one patient, and radial nerve injury in four patients.CONCLUSION: Riding position and injury mechanism such as turning over may affect distal humerus shaft fractures with butterfly fragment during FBR.
Butterflies ; Classification ; Diptera ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; Humerus ; Interviews as Topic ; Radial Nerve ; Ships ; Water

The authors report a rare variation of the vasculature in the upper limbs of an 84-year-old male cadaver. A high bifurcation of the brachial artery occurred bilaterally at the proximal one-third of each arm. The radial arteries were larger than the ulnar arteries and gave origin to the common interosseous arteries. At the cubital fossa, the ulnar arteries traversed medial to the median nerves, continuing superficial to all forearm muscles except the palmaris longus tendon, characteristic of superficial brachioulnar arteries. The aforementioned variations have rarely been reported in previous literature and demonstrate important clinical significance in relation to accidental intra-arterial injections, errors in blood pressure readings, as well as orthopedic, plastic, and vascular surgeries of the upper limbs.
Aged, 80 and over ; Arm ; Arteries ; Blood Pressure ; Brachial Artery ; Cadaver ; Forearm ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Arterial ; Male ; Median Nerve ; Muscles ; Orthopedics ; Plastics ; Radial Artery ; Reading ; Tendons ; Ulnar Artery ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVE: To determine a diagnostic cut-off value for the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the radial nerve using ultrasonography for radial neuropathy located at the spiral groove (SG). METHODS: Seventeen patients with electrodiagnostic evidence of radial neuropathy at the SG and 30 healthy controls underwent ultrasonography of the radial nerve at the SG . The CSAs at the SG were compared in the patient and control groups. The CSA at the SG between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides (ΔSx–Asx and Sx/Asx, respectively) were analyzed to obtain the optimal cut-off value. The relationship between the electrophysiological severity of radial neuropathy and CSA was also evaluated. RESULTS: Among the variables examined, there were statistically significant differences in the CSA between the patient and control groups, ΔSx–Asx, and Sx/Asx at the SG. In a receiver operating characteristics analysis, the cut-off CSA was 5.75 mm² at the SG (sensitivity 52.9%, specificity 90%), 1.75 mm² for ΔSx–Asx (sensitivity 58.8%, specificity 100%), and 1.22 mm² for Sx/Asx (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 93.3%) in diagnosing radial neuropathy at the SG. There was no significant correlation between CSA and electrophysiological severity score for either patient group. CONCLUSION: The reference value obtained for CSA of the radial nerve at the SG may facilitate investigation of radial nerve pathologies at the SG.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Pathology ; Radial Nerve ; Radial Neuropathy* ; Reference Values ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

A 68-year-old male cadaver showed bilateral variation in the sensory innervation of the dorsum of hand. On the dorsum of right hand, first digit and lateral half of second digit were supplied by lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN); medial side of second digit and lateral side of third digit were supplied by superficial branch of radial nerve (SBRN) and medial side of third digit, the fourth and fifth digits were supplied by dorsal cutaneous branch of ulnar nerve (DBUN). On the dorsum of the left hand, lateral side of first digit was supplied by LABCN, medial side of first digit, the second and third digits as well as the lateral side of fourth digit were supplied by SBRN; medial side of fourth digit and fifth digit were supplied by DBUN. These variations would be helpful in understanding peripheral neuropathy, in interpretation of conduction velocity studies and in reconstructive surgery of hand.
Aged ; Cadaver ; Hand* ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Radial Nerve ; Ulnar Nerve

We report two pediatric cases with Hirayama disease—a 16-year-old boy with a left wrist drop and a 14-year-old-boy with weakness and muscle atrophy of right hand. Motor nerve conduction study revealed decreased motor nerve action potential amplitudes in the ulnar nerve and radial nerve of the affected hands. The former patient showed normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine, but the latter showed mild, asymmetric thinning of the anterior spinal cord at levels C5 to C7. Following active rehabilitation and avoidance of neck flexion, no further progression of neurological findings was noticed. These clinical findings were typical of Hirayama disease. We show that timely and accurate diagnosis for Hirayama disease is possible with awareness of disease history, careful physical examination, and the use of neurophysiological studies and MRI studies.
Action Potentials ; Adolescent ; Diagnosis ; Hand ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy ; Neck ; Neural Conduction ; Physical Examination ; Radial Nerve ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood ; Spine ; Ulnar Nerve ; Wrist

Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is a useful treatment for chronic pain, but it can cause damage depending on its application site. Here, we describe the case of a 54-year-old man who underwent PNS for brachial plexopathy in 2015. One lead was implanted on the left medial cord to stimulate the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve, and the other was implanted on the radial nerve to stimulate the posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve. Both leads were inserted near the shoulder joint but did not cross it. Before PNS, the patient did not move his shoulder and elbow because of severe pain, but the treatment greatly alleviated this pain. Twenty months after the operation, both leads were fractured, and the severe pain returned. Repetitive motion near the joint was closely related to the lead fractures. In conclusion, large joints as the insertion sites of PNS leads should be avoided to prevent lead fractures.
Brachial Plexus Neuropathies* ; Chronic Pain ; Elbow ; Humans ; Joints ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Nerves* ; Radial Nerve ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint

A 51-year-old male who is right-handed visited the outpatient for right fingers-drop. The patient's fingers, including thumb, were not extended on metacarpophalangeal joint. The active motion of the right wrist was available. The electromyography and nerve conduction velocity study were consistent with the posterior interosseous neuropathy. Further evaluation was done with the magnetic resonance imaging for finding the space-occupying lesion or any possible soft tissue lesion around the radial nerve pathway. On magnetic resonance imaging, the ganglion cyst, which was about 1.8 cm in diameter, was observed on the proximal part of the superficial layer of the supinator muscle (Arcade of Frohse). The surgical excision was done on the base of ganglion cyst at the base of stalk of cyst which looked to be connected with proximal radioulnar joint capsule. The palsy had completely resolved when the patient was observed on the outpatient department a month after the operation.
Electromyography ; Fingers ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction ; Outpatients ; Paralysis ; Radial Nerve ; Thumb ; Wrist

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) by comparing the results between open plating and MIPO conducted by simple humeral shaft fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2010 to February 2015, we evaluated humeral shaft fractures that 26 cases underwent MIPO and 41 cases underwent open plate fixation (OPEN). Operation time, amount of blood loss, and radiative exposure time were examined. Radiographically, bone union time and angulation were compared. At last, UCLA shoulder score and MEPI were used to compare the clinical results of shoulder and elbow and complications were examined. RESULTS: The average operation time 82±23 minutes in MIPO, 119±20 minutes in OPEN (p=0.007) and amount of bleeding 238±67 ml in MIPO, 303±48 ml in OPEN (p=0.003), radiation exposure time 201±85 seconds in MIPO, 20±5 seconds in OPEN (p=0.000) were statistically significant. Bone union time and angulations, clinical results were not statistically significant. In Complication, iatrogenic radial nerve paralysis occurred 2 cases, nonunion occurred 1 case in MIPO. Nonunion and soft tissue infection occurred 2 cases each in OPEN. CONCLUSION: MIPO in simple humeral shaft fractures gave us radiologically and clinically satisfactory results, and may be useful by understanding the anatomical knowledge and using appropriate implants and skills.
Elbow ; Hemorrhage ; Humerus ; Paralysis ; Radial Nerve ; Radiation Exposure ; Shoulder ; Soft Tissue Infections

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results and efficacy of posterior dual plating for distal shaft fractures of the humerus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 12 patients, who underwent open reduction and internal fixation using posterior dual plating for distal shaft fractures of the humerus, between July 2007 and July 2015, with at least 6 months of follow-up. After locating the radial nerve without dissection via posterior triceps splitting, the fracture was stabilized using a short 3.5 mm locking compression plate. Then additional fixation, using a long 3.5 mm locking compression plate, was performed. The clinical outcomes were assessed in accordance with the Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI) scoring system, and the radiological outcomes were assessed using serial plain radiographs. RESULTS: Eleven patients (91.7%) had bony union, and the mean union period was 13.9 weeks. In one patient, delayed union was treated by autogenous iliac bone graft at 8 months after surgery, which resulted in bony union. The mean MEPI score was 95.8, and the clinical outcomes were excellent in 9 patients and good in 3 patients. Postoperative complications included 1 elbow stiffness by heterotopic ossification and 1 temporary radial nerve palsy. One patient with temporary radial nerve palsy was completely recovered within the first 4 days after surgery. CONCLUSION: Posterior dual plating for distal shaft fractures of the humerus revealed satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes. It can be a useful alternative to provide stable fixation without the need for a dissection of the radial nerve.
Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humerus* ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Paralysis ; Postoperative Complications ; Radial Nerve ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants