Objective To retrospectively reviewed the operative therapy of the terrible triad of the elbow. Methods From October 2003 to September 2007, 10 cases of terrible triad were treated, with an elbow dislocation and an associated fracture of both the radial head and the coronoid process. There were 3 males and 7 females with the age of 18-66 years. The injury was caused by traffic accidents in 4 cases, fall ing from a height in 4 cases, and tumbl ing in 2 cases. The coronoid process fractures of the patients were 5 cases of type I, 3 cases of type II and 2 cases of type III according to Regan- Morrey classification. The radial head fractures of the patients were 1 case of type I, 6 cases of type II and 1 case of type IIIaccording to Mason classification, and their radial heads of the other 2 patiants were resected before they were in hospital. The general approach was to repair the damaged structures sequentially from deep to superficial, from coronoid to anterior capsule to radial head to lateral l igament complex to common extensor origin. And selected cases were repaired of the medial collateral l igaments and assisted mobile hinged external fixation to keep the forearm fixed in functional rotation position. The function of the elbows were evaluated with the criteria of the HSS2 score system. Results The other wounds healed by first intention except 1 case which had infection 7 days after operation and whose soft tissue defect in posterior elbow were repaired with the pedicle thoracoumbil ical flap. The patients were followed up 6 to 51 mouths (mean 24.9 mouths). The fracture heal ing time was 6 to 20 weeks (mean 9.6 weeks). Six mouths postoperatively, the mean flexion-extension arc of the elbow was 106.5° (85-130°), and the mean pronation-supination arc of the forearm was 138°( 100-160°) respectively. According to the criteria of the HSS2 score, the results were excellent in 4 cases, good in 4 cases, and fair in 2 cases. No compl ications such as stiffness and ulnohumeral arthrosis occurred. The radial nerve injury was found in 1 patient 1 day after operation who was treated with neurolysis, and the nerve function was recovered after 4-6 months. And heterotopic ossification occurred in 6 patients 6 months after operation and radiographic subluxation developed in 1 patient 36 months after operation, and conservative treatment weregiven. Conclusion The terrible triad of the elbow can lead to serious elbow instabil ity and should be treated with operationto restore the anatomic structures, to repair the articular capsule and the collateral l igament, using the adjuvant hinged external fixation and early exercise to avoid immobil ization and recover the articular function.
The reconstruction of the extension function of wrist and fingers in 35 patients with radial nerveinjury was reported, The indications of oporation and the main management during and after operationwere discussed.It was thought that the tendon transfer was an effective method to reconstructextension functions of wrist and fingers after the injury of radial nerves and could be served as asupplementary means after radial nerve repair.
In order to solve the difficult problems of repair and reconstruction for severe deep burns with compound tissue defects of upper limb, 26 cases were treated with transplantation of compound tissue flap, vascularized by anastomosis of blood vessel or by vascular pedicle. Several kinds of reparative and reconstructive procedure could be performed simultaneously. Not only the tissue defect was repaired, but also the upper limb function was reconstructed in one stage operation. Owing to the presence of abundant vascular supply from the vascularized compound tissue and primarily closing the wounds, the anti-infection potency was high, then it was suitable for such conditions as fresh severe deep burn with infection and compound tissue defects. As a result, this technique provided the best chance to save upper limb from amputation. The duration required for treatment could be markedly shortened. All the cases successed. The long-term functional recovery was satisfactory. This method provided the possibility to solve effectively the difficult problem dealing with the severe deep burns with compound tissue defects of upper limb.
Objective To study the repair and function reconstruction of complex soft tissue defect of posterior of hand and forearm. Methods From May 2001 to November 2003, 8 cases of soft tissue defect of posterior of hand and forearm were repaired with thoracico abdominal flaps with hilum for primary stage. The tendon transplantation and allogeneic tendon function reconstruction of hand were performed for secondary stage. The range of the flap was 9 cm×15 cm to 12cm×38 cm. Allogeneic tendon amounted to 6.Results All the flaps survived. The flap countour was good. The results of allogeneic tendon transplantation were satisfactory and the function of hand was good. Conclusion Repairing complex soft tissue defect of posterior of hand and forearm and reconstructing hand function by use of thoracico abdominal flaps with hilum and transplantation of allogeneic tendon have the satisfactory clinical results.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the upper limb free flap for repair of severe contracture of thumb web, and one stage reconstruction of the index finger abduction. MethodsBetween March 2007 and June 2011, 16 cases of severe contracture of thumb web and index finger abduction dysfunction were treated. There were 14 males and 2 females with an average age of 29 years (range, 16-42 years). All injuries were caused by machine crush. The time between injury and admission was 6-24 months (mean, 10 months). The angle of thumb web was 10-25° (mean, 20°), and the width of thumb web was 15-24 mm (mean, 22 mm). After scar relax of the thumb web, the defect size ranged from 6 cm × 4 cm to 8 cm × 6 cm; the upper limb free flap from 7 cm × 5 cm to 9 cm × 7 cm was used to repair the defect, index finger abduction was simultaneously reconstructed by extensor indicis proprius tendon transfer. The donor site was repaired with skin grafting. ResultsAll the flaps and skin graftings survived after operation and incisions healed by first intention. Fourteen patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 9 months). The flap appearance was satisfactory. The two-point discrimination was 6-9 mm (mean, 7 mm) after 6 months. The angle of thumb web was 85-90° (mean, 88°). The width of thumb web was 34-52 mm (mean, 40 mm). The abduction and opposing functions of thumb and abduction function of index finger were both recovered. Conclusion A combination of the upper limb free flap for severe contracture of thumb web and one stage reconstruction of the index finger abduction for index finger abduction dysfunction can achieve good results in function and appearance.
OBJECTIVE: To study the morphological character of long head of triceps muscle for clinical application in reconstruction of shoulder abduction. METHODS: Forty-four upper extremities of fixed human adult cadavers were carefully dissected. The origins and the pedicles of blood vessels and nerves of long head of triceps muscle, as well as the maximum available size of the muscles, were measured. Six cases of clinical application of long head of triceps muscle for reconstruction of shoulder abduction were followed up for 3 to 11 months. RESULTS: The origins in the dorsal side of long head of triceps muscle were muscular and the ventral side were tendinous, which was 7.6 to 13.3 cm in length and 1.6 to 3.4 cm in width. The distance from the origin to the neurovascular pedicle was 5.7 to 11.4 cm. The radial nerve, which innervated the muscles, could be dissected for 2.9 to 11.8 cm in length. The blood supplies to the triceps muscle were from humeral artery (43.2%), 1.0 to 6.0 cm in length and 1.6 to 2.4 mm in diameter, and from humeral profundus artery (45.5%), 1.5 to 4.4 cm in length and 0.9 to 2.4 mm in diameter, if the vessel was separated to the humeral artery, the length was 1.5 to 6.3 cm. The neurovascular pedicles were multiple branched. In the 6 cases of clinical application of the triceps muscles, the operated shoulder could abduct from 5 degrees preoperatively (0 degree to 10 degrees) to 77.3 degrees (50 degrees to 90 degrees) postoperatively. CONCLUSION: In accordance to the anatomical character of the triceps muscles, the long head of triceps muscle is a suitable choice for reconstruction of shoulder abduction with optimistic outcomes.
Twelve cases (13 hips) of congenital dislocation of hip (CDH)in a group above the age of six were treated by Chiari pelvic osteotomy from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1992. The results following operative treatment rated as good in 85 percents according to the clinical and radiologic examinations. The indications, and the results with the operation as the functional reconstuction of the hip concerned were discussed.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of fibular head resection in prosthetic replacement for neoplasms of the proximal tibia in limb salvage surgery.
MethodsBetween July 1999 and March 2013, 76 patients with neoplasms of the proximal tibia underwent tumor resection, prosthetic replacement, and gastrocnemius medial head flap transfer. Among them, 38 patients underwent fibular head resection (group A) and 38 underwent fibular head preservation (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, side, tumor classification and stage, and disease duration between 2 groups (P>0.05). The complications and the position of the components were observed, and American society for bone tumors scoring system (MSTS93) was used to evaluate the joint function.
ResultsAll patients were followed up 12-150 months (mean, 87 months). Incision infection occurred in 1 patient (2.63%) of group A and 6 patients (15.79%) of group B, showing significant difference (χ2=3.934, P=0.047). Necrosis of gastrocnemius medial head flap was found in 1 patient of group A and 2 patients of group B. Prosthetic loosening and instability of the knee were observed in 4 and 2 cases of group A and in 6 and 4 cases of group B, respectively. In groups A and B, there were 3 and 5 cases of local recurrence, 7 and 6 cases of distant metastasis, and 8 and 7 deaths, respectively. According to MSTS93, the results were excellent in 23 cases, good in 10 cases, fair in 3 cases, and poor in 2 cases, with an excellent and good rate of 86.84% in group A; the results were excellent in 21 cases, good in 11 cases, fair in 3 cases, and poor in 3 cases, with an excellent and good rate of 84.21% in group B; and no significant difference was found in the excellent and good rate between 2 groups (χ2=0.106, P=0.744).
ConclusionFibular head resection in prosthetic replacement for neoplasms of the proximal tibia in limb salvage surgery is beneficial to intra-operative tissue coverage, and it can reduce trauma by skin transplantation and related complications. Good stability and motion of the joint can be obtained after operation.
Objective To evaluate the results of thumb opposition function by transferring the extensor carpi ulnaris and the extensor poll icis brevis muscle tendons. Methods Between March 2006 and August 2009, 35 patients with dysfunction of thumb opposition were treated and the thumb opposition function was reconstruced by transferring the extensor carpi ulnaris and the extensor poll icis brevis muscle tendons. There were 25 males and 10 females with an average age of 33.5 years (range, 20-53 years); 20 had median nerve injury in the wrist and 15 had median nerve injury with ulnar nerve injury. The causes were sharp instrument injury in 24 cases, blunt injury in 9 cases, and hot crush injury in 2 cases. Six cases complicated by shaft fractures of radius and ulna. All the patients underwent an operation of nerve repair at 1 to 3 hours after injury (mean, 2 hours). The time from injury to reconstructing operation was 6-14 months (mean, 7.5 months). Two cases was able to abduct thumb sl ightly, the others had no functions of thumb abduct and thumb opposition. Results All the wounds gained the primary healing. The patients were followed up 12-18 months (mean, 14 months). The wrist joint angle and thumb dorsal extension were satisfactory. Thumb abduct and thumb opposition function returned to normal in 20 patients with simple median nerve injury; in 15 patients with median nerve injury and ulnar nerve injury, thumb abduct and thumb opposition function returned to normal in 15 and 13, respectively. According to ZHAO Shuqiang’s standard, the results of thumb opposition function were normal in all patients at 12 months after operation. Conclusion It is a convenient and efficient procedure to reconstruct thumb opposition function by transferring the extensor carpi ulnaris and the extensor poll icis brevis muscle tendons.
