Noland, Shelley S.

Background: Documentation burden is a major contributor to surgeon burnout, particularly in high-volume outpatient specialties such as hand surgery. These encounters often involve multiple concurrent diagnoses, procedural planning, and longitudinal care. Ambient artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which passively transcribe and summarize clinical encounters in real time, have the potential to streamline note generation and reduce cognitive load. Methods: Following institutional rollout of a commercially available ambient AI tool in early 2025, the system was adopted across all outpatient visits in a hand surgery clinic. Observations were collected regarding workflow adaptation, documentation quality, and perceived cognitive impact. To assess note characteristics, 14 carpal tunnel syndrome visit notes (7 AI-generated and 7 surgeon-written) were compared by word count, Flesch-Kincaid readability score, and inclusion of social and medical history. Results: AI-generated histories were longer and exhibited greater linguistic complexity compared with surgeon-written notes. Surgeon-written assessments were longer, more readable, and more consistent in structure and tone. Social history was documented more frequently in AI-generated notes. All AI-generated assessment and plan sections followed a structured, problem-based format. Conclusions: Ambient AI documentation can support the creation of more structured and contextually rich clinical notes in hand surgery settings. However, successful integration requires active clinician engagement and workflow alignment to balance efficiency with clinical accuracy. These findings highlight both the promise and the practical considerations of incorporating ambient AI into surgical documentation workflows.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and perceived efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) products in patients presenting to an orthopedic hand and upper extremity clinic. Materials and Methods: New patients seen for an initial surgical consultation between July and December 2022 were surveyed regarding CBD use, pain, and function. Pain was measured with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS, 0–10) and function with the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE, 0–100). Demographic and clinical factors were collected via chart review. Results: A total of 918 patients completed the survey (53% female; mean age 63 years, range 18–97). Joints involved included elbows (106), wrists (335), and hands/fingers (667). Common diagnoses included arthritis (199), tendinopathy (273), and nerve-related conditions (160). Overall, 15% (135/918) reported prior CBD use, and 39% (53/135) perceived pain relief. CBD users were more likely to be female (65% vs 51%; P =0.003), to present with wrist pathology (44% vs 35%; P =0.038), and to have arthritis (36% vs 19%; P <0.001). Compared to non-users, CBD users reported higher pain scores (mean NPRS 6.2 vs 5.1; P <0.001) and lower contralateral function (mean SANE 77.3 vs 87.4; P <0.001). Conclusions In this cohort, CBD use was uncommon, and only a minority of users reported subjective benefit. CBD users tended to report higher pain and worse function, particularly in the setting of wrist arthritis. CBD products did not appear to provide measurable objective improvement in pain or function. Further studies are needed to clarify optimal dosing, administration, and potential role in upper extremity care.

Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) are approved for type 2 diabetes treatment. Given the link between diabetes-associated metabolic inflammation and increased carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) risk, the aim of this study was to investigate development of CTS in diabetic patients who both were and were not taking GLP-1 therapy using a large claims database. Methods: A retrospective cohort study used a national claims database to identify diabetic patients. Those prescribed GLP-1 therapy were matched to controls by age, sex, comorbidity index, tobacco use, and obesity. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the 2-year CTS incidence, controlling for various health conditions and socioeconomic factors. Secondary analysis also evaluated the rate of carpal tunnel release (CTR) after being diagnosed with CTS. Results: Glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy significantly reduced 2-year CTS diagnosis risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.52; P < .001). Independent risk factors for increased CTS incidence included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease, depression, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Of patients who developed CTS, GLP-1 therapy was associated with increased odds of undergoing CTR (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.08-1.41; P = .002). Conclusions: Glucagon-like peptide-1 therapy is associated with decreased CTS risk in diabetic patients—potentially due to improved metabolic health—and increased odds of undergoing CTR once diagnosed. Further research is needed to clarify GLP-1 therapy’s role in reducing nervous system and musculoskeletal disease burden.

Background: Diabetic patients experience carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) at high rates, have increased symptom severity, and experience prolonged recovery after carpal tunnel release (CTR). This study assessed the association of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1) therapy with postoperative outcomes after CTR in type II diabetic patients with CTS. Methods: Using the PearlDiver database, 25 229 diabetic patients with CTS who underwent CTR and were prescribed GLP-1 therapy were identified and exact matched to 25 229 controls based on age, sex, Elixhauser comorbidity index, tobacco use, obesity, hypothyroidism, and body mass index where available. Demographic variables and comorbidities were compared between groups using Kruskal-Wallis analyses for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted for 90-day outcomes and 2-year CTR revision. Results: Patients on GLP-1 therapy had decreased risk of 90-day medical complications (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-0.96) and hospital readmission (OR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.77-0.94) of 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively, compared with controls. No significant differences were found in 90-day surgical complications or 2-year revision rates between cohorts. There were no cases of aspiration pneumonia. The GLP-1 cohort had increased odds of higher 90-day total costs of care (OR = 2.42; 95% CI, 1.88-3.15). Conclusions: GLP-1 therapy is associated with reduced risk of 90-day medical complications and hospital readmission following CTR in diabetic patients, suggesting these medications may optimize comorbidity profiles via glucose control preoperatively. Future studies may examine whether GLP-1 therapy is associated with minimum clinically important difference in patient-reported outcome measures for CTS in diabetic patients.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are medications used to treat type 2 diabetes and may aid in weight loss efforts. The surgical management of patients taking GLP-1 agonists differs from others due to the slowed gastric emptying effects of GLP-1 medications. Patients taking these medications may have a higher risk of pulmonary aspiration during hand surgery than other patients, which affects their presurgical management. This article reviews GLP-1 agonists and their role in diabetes and weight loss, as well as current recommendations for surgical management of patients taking GLP-1 agonists.