Pedicled abdominal flap using deep inferior epigastric artery perforators for forearm reconstruction: A case report

BACKGROUND Pedicled abdominal flaps are a widely used surgical technique for forearm reconstruction in patients with soft tissue defects.However,some drawbacks include restricted flap size,partial flap loss,and donor-site morbidity.To address these concerns,we present a case of a pedicled abdominal flap using the deep inferior epigastric artery perforators(DIEP)for forearm reconstruction in a patient with a large soft tissue defect.CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with forearm injury caused by a pressing machine.A 15 cm×10 cm soft tissue defect with complete rupture of the ulnar side structures of the forearm was found.One week after orthopedic management of the neurovascular injury and fractures using the first stage of Masquelet technique,the patient was referred to the plastic and recon-structive surgery department for wound coverage.Surgical debridement and negative-pressure wound therapy revealed a 20 cm×15 cm soft tissue defect.A pedicle abdominal flap with the DIEP was used to cover the defect.Three weeks later,the flap was detached from the abdomen,and the abdominal defect was directly closed.Subsequently,the second stage of Masquelet technique was performed at the fracture site at week 10.Finally,all donor and recipient sites healed without complications,such as flap dehiscence,infection,hematoma,or necrosis.Fracture site osteosynthesis was achieved without complications.CONCLUSION Pedicled abdominal flap using the DIEP provides a reliable option for forearm reconstruction in patients with large soft tissue defects.

Hourglass-like constriction of the anterior interosseous nerve in the left forearm:A case report

BACKGROUND Hourglass-like constriction neuropathy is a rare neurological disorder.The main clinical manifestation is peripheral nerve injury with no apparent cause,and the pathomorphological change is an unexplained narrowing of the diseased nerve.The diagnosis and treatment of the disease are challenging and there is no accepted diagnostic or therapeutic approach.CASE SUMMARY This report describes a rare hourglass constriction of the anterior interosseous nerve in the left forearm in a 47-year-old healthy male who was treated surgically and gradually recovered function over a 6-mo follow-up period.CONCLUSION Hourglass-like constriction neuropathy is a rare disorder.With the development of medical technology,more examinations are now available for diagnosis.This case aims to highlight the rare manifestations of Hourglass-like constriction neuropathy and provides a reference for enriching the clinical diagnosis and treatment experience.

Two-stage surgical treatment for septic non-union of the forearm

AIM To investigate the effectiveness of a two-stage surgical procedure for the treatment of septic forearm non-union.METHODS Septic non-unions are rare complications of forearm fractures. When they occur, they modify the relationship between forearm bones leading to a severe functional impairment. Treatment is challenging and surgery and antibiotic therapy are required to achieve infection resolution. It is even harder to obtain non-union healing with good functional results. The aim of this study is to present a two stages surgical treatment for septic forearm non-union with revision and temporary stabilization of the non-union until infection has cleared and subsequently perform a new synthesis with plate, opposite bone graft strut and intercalary graft. We retrospectively reviewed 18 patients with a mean age at the time of primary injury of 34.5 years(19-57 years) and a mean follow-up of 6 years(2-10 years). All patients presented an atrophic nonunion with a mean length of the bone defect of 1.8 cm(1.2-4 cm). Complications and clinical results after surgical treatment were recorded. RESULTS Mean time to resolution of the infectious process was 8.2 wk(range 4-20 wk) after the first surgery and specific antibiotic therapy. All the non-union healed with an average time of 5 mo(range 2-10 mo) after the second step surgery. Cultures on intraoperative samples werepositive in all cases. No major intraoperative complications occurred. Two patients developed minor complications and one needed a second surgical debridement for infection resolution. At the last follow-up functional results were excellent in 5(27.8%) patients, satisfactory in 10(55.5%) and unsatisfactory in 3(16.7%) patients. No activities of daily living(ADLs) limitations were reported by 12(66.6%) patients, slight by 3(16.6%) and severe limitation by 3(16.6%) patients. Mean visual analog scale at the last follow-up was 1(0-3).CONCLUSION The two-step technique has proven to be effective to achieve resolution of the infectious process and union with good functional results and low rate of complications.

Use of ketamine sedation for the management of displaced paediatric forearm fractures

AIM To determine if ketamine sedation is a safe and cost effective way of treating displaced paediatric radial and ulna fractures in the emergency department. METHODS Following an agreed interdepartmental protocol, fractures of the radius and ulna(moderately to severely displaced) in children between the age of 2 and 16 years old, presenting within a specified 4 mo period, were manipulated in our paediatric emergency department. Verbal and written consent was obtained prior to procedural sedation to ensure parents were informed and satisfied to have ketamine. A single attempt at manipulation was performed. Pre and postmanipulation radiographs were requested and assessed to ensure adequacy of reduction. Parental satisfaction surveys were collected after the procedure to assess the perceived quality of treatment. After closed reduction and cast immobilisation, patients were then followed-up in the paediatric outpatient fracture clinic and functional outcomes measured prospectively. A cost analysis compared to more formal manipulation under a general anaesthetic was also undertaken.RESULTS During the 4 mo period of study, 10 closed, moderate to severely displaced fractures were identified and treated in the paediatric emergency department using our ketamine sedation protocol. These included fractures of the growth plate(3), fractures of both radius and ulna(6) and a single isolated proximal radius fracture. The mean time from administration of ketamine until completion of the moulded plaster was 20 min. The mean time interval from sedation to full recovery was 74 min. We had no cases of unacceptable fracture reduction and no patients required any further manipulation, either in fracture clinic or under a more formal general anaesthetic. There were no serious adverse events in relation to the use of ketamine. Parents, patients and clinicians reported extremely favourable outcomes using this technique. Furthermore, compared to using a manipulation under general anaesthesia, each case performed under ketamine sedation was associated with a saving of ￡1470, the overall study saving being ￡14700. CONCLUSION Ketamine procedural sedation in the paediatric population is a safe and cost effective method for the treatment of displaced fractures of the radius and ulna, with high parent satisfaction rates.

Early debridement and delayed primary vascularized cover in forearm electrical burns: A prospective study

AIM To look into the management options of early debridement of the wound, followed by vascularized cover to bring in fresh blood supply to remaining tissue in electrical burns. METHODS A total of 16 consecutive patients sustaining full thickness forearm burns over a period of one year were included in the study group. Debridement was undertaken within 48 h in 13 patients. Three patients were taken for debridement after 48 h. Debridement was repeated within 2-4 d after daily wound assessment and need for further debridement. RESULTS On an average two debridements(range 1-4) was required in our patients for the wound to be ready for definitive cover. Interval between each debridement ranged from 2-18 d. Fourteen patients were provided vascularized cover after final debridement(6 free flaps, 8 pedicled flaps). Functional assessment of gross hand function done at 6 wk, 2 mo, 3 mo and 6 mo follow-up. CONCLUSION High-tension electrical burns lead to significant morbi-dity. These injuries are best managed by early decompression followed by multiple serial debridements. The ideal timing of free flap coverage needs further investigation.

Optimization of the forearm angle for arm wrestling using multi-camera stereo digital image correlation: A preliminary study

This study analyzes the function of different muscles during arm wrestling and proposes a method to analyze the optimal forearm angle for professional arm wrestlers.We built a professional arm-wrestling platform to measure the shape and deformation of the skin at the biceps brachii of a volunteer in vivo during arm wrestling.We observed the banding phenomenon of arm skin strain during muscle contraction and developed a model to evaluate the moment provided by the biceps brachii.According to this model,the strain field of the area of interest on the skin was measured,and the forearm angles most favorable and unfavorable to the work of the biceps brachii were analyzed.This study demonstrates the considerable potential of applying DIC and its extension method to the in vivo measurement of human skin and facilitates the use of the in vivo measurement of skin deformation in various sports in the future.

The Effect of Angulated Radius Fractures in Forearm Rotation: A Computer Based Model

Background: Forearm fractures amongst children are quite a common presentation. The accuracy of correct alignment in forearm bones is important as it determines the degree of forearm rotation (pronation-supination). However in children due to the potential for continuous growth, a degree of angulation is acceptable. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of angulation of forearm fracture on forearm rotation using computer stimulation. Methods: Using a 3D computer modelling software (Wildfire Pro Engineer 4.0, Creo by PTC, Needham, MA), an accurate to scale model of the radius and ulna was replicated from a 7 year old forearm. A realistic representation of pronation/supination of the forearm was applied and a fracture at the junction of proximal one third and distal two third was created. A rotational simulation was created and ended when maximum pronation and supination was reached. Maximum pronation and supination was reached when either no more rotation could occur due to a misalignment of the radius and ulna or there was a collision of the bones. The simulation was repeated in increments of angulation of 2° up to 26°. The angulations that resulted in a combined range of motion (50° pronation and 80° supination) less than 130° were recorded as unacceptable and the others were as acceptable. Findings: The study showed that radius angulation fracture of >16° in the proximal third of the radius would result in an unacceptable reduction of pronation-supination to less than 130°. Conclusion: Patients with more >16° of radius angulation in a distal third shaft fracture of the radius may result in clinical reduction in forearm rotation.

Thermoacoustic assessment of hematocrit changes in human forearms

Abnormal hematocrit(Hct)is associated with an increased risk of pre-hypertension and all-cause death in general population,and people with a high Hct value are susceptible to arterial cardiovascular disease and venous thromboembolism.In this study,we report for the first time on the ability of thermoacoustic imaging(TAI)for in vivo evaluating Hct changes in human forearms.In vitro blood samples with different Hct values from healthy volunteers(n=3)were prepared after centrifugation.TAI was performed using these samples in comparison with the direct measurements of conductivity.In vivo TAI was conducted in the forearm of healthy volunteers(n=7)where Hct changes were produced through a vascular occlusion stimulation over a period of time.The results of in vitro blood samples obtained from the 3 healthy subjects show that the thermoacoustic(TA)signals changes due to the variation of blood conductivity are closely related to the changes in Hct.In addition,the in vivo TA signals obtained from the 7 healthy subjects consistently increase in the artery/muscle and decrease in the vein during venous or arterial occlusion because of the changed Hct value in their forearms.These findings suggest that TAI has the potential to become a new tool for monitoring Hct changes for a variety of pre-clinical and clinical applications.

First case of forearm crisscross injury in children:A case report

BACKGROUND Forearm crisscross injury is rare in children;there is no relevant literature so far.Surgeons lack experience and knowledge in treating this type of crisscross injury.We report a case of forearm crisscross injury in a child for the first time and analyze its mechanism.CASE SUMMARY An 8-year-old boy experienced pain in his left forearm when he accidentally fell while skateboarding.Physical examination revealed swelling and deformity of the left forearm.We performed imaging and the results revealed left radial head dislocation,left distal radial epiphyseal separation from the shaft,and interruption of the continuity of the dorsal cortex of the left distal ulna.Anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films showed that the radius and ulna were crisscrossed.A diagnosis of superior radioulnar joint dislocation,left distal radial epiphyseal injury,and left distal ulnar fracture was made.After unsuccessful manual reduction,we adopted a minimally invasive procedure and succeeded.After a 14-wk period of follow-up,the patient had good left upper limb function,no complaints of pain or limited range of motion,and good follow-up results.CONCLUSION This is the first report of a child with a forearm crisscross injury in which the mechanism and the differences from adult crisscross injury are analyzed.Minimally invasive surgery with intramedullary fixation can achieve a good therapeutic effect.This case provides a reference for the treatment of similar patients in the future.

Floating elbow combining ipsilateral distal multiple segmental forearm fractures: A case report

BACKGROUND Floating elbow along with ipsilateral multiple segmental forearm fracture is a rare and high-energy injury,although elbow dislocation or fracture of the ulna and radius may occur separately.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with open(IIIA)fracture of the right distal humerus with multiple shaft fractures of the ipsilateral radius and ulna with a history of falling from a height of almost 20 m from a balcony.After providing advanced trauma life support,damage control surgery was performed to debride the arm wound and temporarily stabilize the right upper limb with external fixators in the emergency operating room.Subsequently,one-stage internal fixation of multiple fractures was performed with normal values of biochemical indicators and reduction in limb swelling.The patient achieved good outcome at the 7 mo follow-up.CONCLUSION One-or two-stage treatment must be performed according to the type of injury;we efficiently used the“damage control principle.”

The Effect of Fracture of Ulnar Styloid on Rotational Movements of the Forearm after Extraarticular Fractures of Distal Radius

Introduction: Since distal radius fractures are among the most common fractures encountered in orthopedics and one of their common complications is restriction of rotational movements of the wrist and forearm, iden-tification of factors affecting this loss of motion is of importance. This study was conducted to evaluate the relation between extraarticular distal radius fractures associated with fracture of ulnar styloid and the rota-tional movements of the wrist and forearm. Patients and methods: 47 patients with an extraarticular distal radius fracture were enrolled in a prospective case control study. The patients were visited in regular follow up intervals after treatment and at the final follow up the rotational movements of the forearm were measured. The findings were analyzed with Independent T and Chi-square tests. Findings: Ultimately 23 patients of the group 1 (intact ulnar styloid) and 24 of the group 2 (fractured ulnar styloid) completed the follow up period. At this time supination of the wrist and forearm in group 2 was significantly less than the group 1 (p< 0.001). Conclusion: It seems that the association of an extraarticular distal radius fracture with the fracture of ulnar styloid, at least in short term causes restriction of supination of the forearm, though the mechanism and clinical significance of this finding cannot be easily explained.

Minimally invasive treatment of forearm double fracture in adult using Acumed forearm intramedullary nail: A case report

BACKGROUND Currently,open reduction internal fixation is the conventional surgical method for treatment of double ulna and radius fracture.However,open reduction is associated with a high risk of complications.This case of forearm double fracture involved a patient treated using an Acumed intramedullary nail.The patient experienced good follow-up outcomes.The Acumed forearm intramedullary nail enables early functional exercise and hastens healing of the fracture.Few studies have reported on the use of this approach for the treatment of fractures.CASE SUMMARY A 23-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital after 5 h of pain,swelling,and limited activity of left forearm caused by a careless fall.Physical examination showed stable basic vital signs,swelling of the left forearm,and severe pain when pressing on the injured part of the forearm.Further,friction was felt at the broken end of the bone;the skin was not punctured.Movement of the left hand was normal,and the left radial artery pulse was normal.Three-dimensional computed tomography examination showed an ulna fracture of the left forearm and comminuted fracture of the radius.The fracture was located in the upper third of the radius,with significant displacement on the fracture side.Clinical diagnosis further confirmed the left radius comminuted fracture and ulna fracture.After analyzing the fracture pattern,age,and other patient characteristics,we chose an Acumed nail for treatment and achieved good follow-up outcomes.CONCLUSION Acumed forearm intramedullary nail for fixation of ulna and radius fracture reduced complication risk and resulted in good follow-up outcomes.

Endoscopic fasciotomy for chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the forearm:Systematic review of outcomes and complications

BACKGROUND Endoscopic fasciotomy of the forearm for chronic exertional compartment syndrome(CECS)has gained popularity recently.AIM To systematically review the literature of endoscopic fasciotomy for CECS of the forearm,aiming to assess the outcomes and complications of the different endoscopic fasciotomy techniques described in the literature.METHODS On January 18,2021,PubMed and EMBASE were searched by 3 reviewers independently,and all relevant studies published up to that date were considered based on predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria.The subject headings“endoscopic fasciotomy”and“compartment syndrome”and their related key terms were used.The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement was used to screen the articles.RESULTS A total of seven studies including 183 patients(355 forearms)were included.The mean age of the patients was 31.2 years(range:15-42 years).The postoperative follow-up duration ranged from 6 wk to 4.9 years.All patients were able to return to sport activities between postoperative weeks 1 to 8.Recurrence of the compartment syndrome occurred in three patients,giving a rate of 1.6%per patient and 0.8%per forearm.The overall complication rate was 8.7%per patient,and 4.5%per forearm.The most common reported complication was hematoma(7 forearms;2.0%).CONCLUSION Endoscopic fasciotomy for CECS of the forearm has favorable short-and midterm outcomes with very low recurrence and complication rates.This,however,needs to be confirmed in larger,long-term follow-up,prospective,comparative studies between open,mini-open and endoscopic fasciotomy techniques.

Pre-fabricated radial forearm phalloplasty with cadaveric bone graft

Phalloplasty is a complex set of procedures used in efforts to improve the anatomical,physiological,and aesthetic deficiencies caused by loss or absence of the penis.Methods have evolved significantly,and the use of free tissue transfer has become common amongst reconstructive surgeons.The inclusion of bone autograft,usually radius or fibula,within the neophallus has caused significant morbidity,and efforts continue to find the optimal solution.We present a novel approach using a pre-fabricated,radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap containing cadaveric bone graft for phalloplasty following traumatic penis amputation.

Lower Back Pain and Forearm Tendinitis Linked to Irritation of Oral Mucosa by Teeth

We present a case of a woman with refractory lower back pain and forearm tendinitis, which improved dramatically after morphological modification of natural teeth. The subject was a 35-year-old Japanese woman, who was suffering from lower back pain when bending forward and she had severe pain from her right thumb to her wrist. These symptoms were not improved by massage and orthopedic treatment. On the other hand, once modifying the morphology of natural teeth, those symptoms improved dramatically. No side effects were observed, and the prognosis was good. Our observation suggested a close relationship between the oral situation and remote musculoskeletal conditions, and further multidisciplinary studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms.

The First Case of Free Radial Forearm Skin Flap:A 40-Year Follow-Up Study

Background The radial forearm skin flap(RFSF)was first introduced by the Chinese scholar Guofan Yang and has since been used for nearly 40 years.The many advantages of RFSF have been investigated in this study.Case presentation In this case,a female patient underwent RFSF surgery in 1979.In 2016 and 2018,two interviews were held to evaluate her subjective postoperative experience.In addition,overall donor site evaluation was conducted based on general health checkups and tests;tests for appearance,tactile sensitivity,muscle strength,and motor function;and CTA.Results The flap survived well,and the donor site recovered without hand necrosis in the 1970s.In 2018,the patient was in good health condition and expressed her satisfaction with the surgery.The patient did not suffer from any postoperative complications such as diminished sensation of the donor site or donor site dysfunction;in the evaluation of hand and finger function,there was no point where functional reduction of the donor site was noted.CTA revealed compensatory blood supply with enlargement in the diameter of the ulnar and interosseous artery.Conclusion After a nearly 40-year follow-up,the patient who underwent the first free radial forearm flap transplantation expressed satisfaction with the operative outcomes.The examination showed good results at the recipient site with little donor site deformities and good compensatory blood supply.

Clinicopathological analysis of EWSR1/FUS::NFATC2 rearranged sarcoma in the left forearm:A case report

BACKGROUND We present a case of an EWSR1/FUS::NFATC2 rearranged sarcoma in the left forearm and analyze its clinicopathological and molecular features.CASE SUMMARY The patient is a 23-year-old woman.Microscopically,the tumor cells were medium-sized round cells arranged in small nests.The cytoplasm was clear,nuclei were relatively uniform,chromatin was dense,nucleoli were visible,and mitotic figures were rare.Immunohistochemically,the tumor cells were positive for Vimentin,INI-1,CD99,NKX2.2,CyclinD1,friend leukaemia virus integration 1,and NKX3.1.Next-generation sequencing revealed the presence of the EWSR1-NFATC2 fusion gene.EWSR1/FUS::NFATC2 rearranged sarcomas are rare and can easily be misdiagnosed.CONCLUSION Clinical imaging,immunohistochemistry,and molecular pathology should be considered to confirm the diagnosis.

Neuromorphic transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(nTENS)induces efficient tactile-related cortical networks in forearm amputees

Conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(cTENS),which uses a modulated square waveform as stimuli,has been generally used in testing and eliciting artificial tactile perception in forearm amputees.However,a novel neuromorphic TENS(nTENS)model based on neural signals has been largely ignored.In this study,we further explore the effect of nTENS patterns to elicit tactile perception in forearm amputees.Four forearm amputees were recruited to test discriminate tactile perception elicited by different TENS patterns with electroencephalography(EEG)recording at the following four stimulated sites:the index finger and the little finger on both phantom and real sides.Finally,we compared the results of cortical networks in six frequency bands at different stimulated sites between forearm amputees and able-bodied subjects.Behavioral results suggested that n TENS patterns required a lower electric charge at each stimulated site than cTENS patterns.And forearm amputees required a higher intensity in each TENS pattern than able-bodied subjects.Moreover,amputees showed a lower clustering coefficient(aCP),global efficiency(aEG),local efficiency(aEL),and a longer path length(aLP)than able-bodied subjects in all six frequency bands when stimulation was accessed.Specifically,the SMU pattern showed a higher functional network efficiency in real fingers than at phantom sites in theta,alpha,and high gamma bands.This study highlighted the characteristics of n TENS patterns in eliciting tactile perception among forearm amputees,which provided insights into evaluating the neural mechanism of tactile information processing in forearm amputees and building tactile perceptual systems for sensory rehabilitation.