Recent advances and developments in hand surgery

Morphofunctional Improvement of the Facial Nerve and Muscles with Repair Using Heterologous Fibrin Biopolymer and Photobiomodulation

Peripheral nerve injuries impair the patient's functional capacity, including those occurring in the facial nerve, which require effective medical treatment. Thus, we investigated the use of heterologous fibrin biopolymer (HFB) in the repair of the buccal branch of the facial nerve (BBFN) associated with photobiomodulation (PBM), using a low-level laser (LLLT), analyzing the effects on axons, muscles facials, and functional recovery. This experimental study used twenty-one rats randomly divided into three groups of seven animals, using the BBFN bilaterally (the left nerve was used for LLLT): Control group-normal and laser (CGn and CGl); Denervated group-normal and laser (DGn and DGl); Experimental Repair Group-normal and laser (ERGn and ERGl). The photobiomodulation protocol began in the immediate postoperative period and continued for 5 weeks with a weekly application. After 6 weeks of the experiment, the BBFN and the perioral muscles were collected. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in nerve fiber diameter (7.10 ± 0.25 µm and 8.00 ± 0.36 µm, respectively) and axon diameter (3.31 ± 0.19 µm and 4.07 ± 0.27 µm, respectively) between ERGn and ERGl. In the area of muscle fibers, ERGl was similar to GC. In the functional analysis, the ERGn and the ERGI (4.38 ± 0.10) and the ERGI (4.56 ± 0.11) showed parameters of normality. We show that HFB and PBM had positive effects on the morphological and functional stimulation of the buccal branch of the facial nerve, being an alternative and favorable for the regeneration of severe injuries.

Knee Osteochondritis Dissecans Treated by the AO Hook Fixation System: A Four Year Follow-Up of an Alternative Technique

Surgical fixation is recommended for stable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions that have failed nonoperative management and for all unstable lesions. In this study we set out to describe and evaluate an alternative method of surgical fixation for such lesions. Five knees with unstable OCD lesions in four male adolescent patients with open physes were treated with the AO Hook Fixation System. The outcome was evaluated both clinically and with three separate outcome systems (IKDC 2000, KOOS, Lysholm) at one and a mean four year follow-up. We demonstrated excellent clinical results in all patients. At four years, all scoring systems demonstrated statistically significant improvement when compared to the preoperative status. Our study suggests that the AO Hook Fixation System is an alternative method of surgical intervention with comparable medium term results with other existing modes of fixation and the added biomechanical advantage of the absence of distracting forces during hardware removal.

Mammalian bite injuries to the hand and their management

Bite wounds are a common form of hand injury with the potential to lead to severe local and systemic sequelae and permanent functional impairment. Mammalian bite wounds may be caused by a variety of animal class and species; injuries resulting from dogs, cats and humans are the most widely discussed and reported in the literature. Bite wounds may be contaminated with aggressive pathogens and the anatomical vulnerability of structures within the hand means that without early recognition and treatment with irrigation and antibiotics, alongside a low index of suspicion for deep structural involvement requiring formal surgical exploration and washout, the consequences of such injuries can be disastrous. We review the literature and discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology and microbiology relating to these injuries, as well as clinical aspects including signs, symptoms, and management.

Bite injuries to the hand: microbiology, virology and management

Bites to the human hand, be it from a pet, a stray animal or even a fellow human, may often have dire consequences for the person suffering the insult. Bites by mammals are a common problem and they account for up to 1% of all visits to hospital emergency rooms, in the UK. Clenched fist injuries to the mouth ('fight bite') are notorious for being the worst human bites. Bite injuries of the hand and their related infections must be monitored vigilantly and managed proactively, by experts in this field of surgery. In this review article we discuss the associated microbiology and virology of these injuries as well as their management.

Bite injuries to the hand - review of the literature

Patients presenting to the emergency department with bite injuries to the hand sustain them through a number of causes including domesticated as well as stray animal bites, and human bites commonly sustained as a result of violence. The nature of the injuries sustained can be very deceptive. A small tooth mark on the exterior can be a fulminant infection in the tissues deeper down. Tendon injuries, fractures of the metacarpals and phalanges and management of the wound are critical issues faced by a surgeon in dealing with such patients. Similarly the less common bite injuries to the hand, often with disastrous and sometimes fatal complications, do also present to the emergency department. A high incidence of suspicion is needed in dealing with these injuries effectively. In our article we discuss the common as well as uncommon causes of bite injuries to the hand and their management. In addition to reviewing the literature to ascertain the management of such injuries, we also discuss interesting and rare case reports.