Athens, Christian

Abstract Background Placement and spacing of skin incisions are important for maintaining soft tissue perfusion and viability, particularly in the setting of local trauma. Question/Purpose The aim of this article is to determine if multiple skin incisions in the surgical management of distal radius fractures result in an increased risk of postoperative wound complications, particularly in the setting of high-energy mechanisms of injury with substantial initial displacement and associated soft-tissue insult that require multiple incisions for distal radius reconstruction. Patients and Methods A multicenter, retrospective chart review was performed for all adult patients who underwent open reduction, internal fixation of a closed distal radius fracture with multiple (≥2) hand, and wrist incisions with minimum follow-up of 6 weeks. Primary outcome measures included wound healing complications such as partial or complete skin necrosis, dehiscence, delayed healing, and superficial or deep infections. Results For 118 wrists, a total of 305 incisions were utilized, averaging 2.6 incisions per patient (range: 2–6) with the flexor carpi radialis and dorsal distal radius approaches occurring in 86 and 78% of cases, respectively. One patient was identified as having a pyogenic granuloma along an incision. However, two patients were identified as having wound concerns, including fracture blisters (n = 1) and wound margin epidermolysis (n = 1) along the incision. There were no cases of skin bridge necrosis, delayed healing, wound dehiscence, or infection. Conclusions There is no increased risk of wound healing complications with the use of multiple skin incisions (≥2) in the surgical management of distal radius fractures, afforded by the abundant and robust angiosomes around the wrist. Surgeons should have the confidence to utilize the necessary number of skin incisions to effectively reconstruct distal radius fractures.

Background: The scaphoid-trapezoid-trapezium (STT) articulation stabilizes the scaphoid and links the proximal and distal carpal rows. The purpose of the study was to determine whether trapezium excision in the treatment of trapeziometacarpal (TM) arthritis affects carpal stability. Methods: A retrospective chart and radiographic review was performed on all wrists that underwent trapeziectomy with suspensionplasty or ligament reconstruction, and tendon interposition for TM arthritis between 2004 and 2016. Radiographic outcome measures included the modified carpal height ratio (MCHR) and radioscaphoid (RS), radiolunate (RL), and scapholunate (SL) angles. Degenerative change at the TM and STT joints was classified according to the Eaton-Littler, and Knirk and Jupiter classification systems. Radiographic parameters were compared between preoperative and final follow-up time points. Results: A total of 122 wrists were included in the study with a mean follow-up of 3.5 years (range: 1.0-13.0 years). The mean RL (range: −2.2° ± 11.8° to −10.7° ± 16.5°) and RS angles (range: 52.6° ± 13.8° to 44.4° ± 17.8°) decreased significantly (<.001) without significant change in SL angle, indicating progressive lunate and scaphoid extension after trapeziectomy. The mean MCHR decreased significantly (range: 1.6 ± 0.1 to 1.5 ± 0.1) following trapeziectomy, indicating progressive carpal collapse. Progressive scaphoid-trapezoid arthrosis was observed following trapeziectomy. No other preoperative radiographic factors investigated were associated with significant differences in preoperative and postoperative values for radiographic outcome measures. Conclusions: Trapeziectomy can lead to loss of carpal height, coordinated extension of both the lunate and scaphoid, and progressive scaphotrapezoid arthrosis. As such, in wrists with dynamic or static carpal instability, trapeziectomy should be performed with caution due to the risk of carpal collapse with a nondissociative pattern of dorsal intercalated segment instability.