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Introduction: Destruction of the metacarpophalangeal joint can result in disabling pain and stiffness. Several therapeutic options are available, including pyrocarbon interposition implants. The primary endpoint of this study was assessment of clinical and radiographic outcomes in 34 patients treated with HAPY® pyrocarbon interposition implants (Tornier, Grenoble, France) with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. The secondary endpoint was to assess complications and the need for revision surgery., Materials and Methods: Thirty-four patients (61 implants) who underwent metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty with the HAPY® implant were reviewed with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. The etiology was inflammatory (rheumatoid arthritis) in 18 cases (37 implants), primary osteoarthritis in 16 (21 implants), and post-traumatic in 3 (3 implants). Preoperative data comprised age, gender, operated finger, etiology (inflammatory, primary or post-traumatic), digital chain mobility, pain assessment on visual analog scale, grip strength on a standardized handheld dynamometer, and functional scores including QuickDASH and the Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation. Immediate postoperative radiographs (anteroposterior, lateral and oblique views) centered on the metacarpophalangeal joint were compared with those at last follow-up. Metacarpal and phalangeal implant subsidence were assessed., Results: At a mean follow-up of 71.5 months, pain score was reduced by a mean 5.4 points: 6.4/10 versus 1/10 (p < 0.001). The mean active range of motion in flexion-extension showed a significant improvement of 27°: 42.9 ° versus 70 ° (p < 0.001). The QuickDASH and Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation functional scores significantly improved by a mean 26.7 points (50.6 ± 20.1 versus 23.9 ± 25 (p < 0.001)) and 32.8 points (53.58 ± 21.6 versus 20.77 ± 22.1 (p < 0.001)), respectively. Comparison between pre- and post-operative grip strength did not show a significant difference. 94% of patients reported being satisfied with the procedure, while 6% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. One of the dissatisfied patients developed type 1 complex regional pain syndrome, while the other had persistent pain and stiffness. Mean implant subsidence in the metacarpal was 0.48 mm ± 4.2 mm, and in the first phalanx 3.6 mm ± 9.6 mm. One patient (2.9%) experienced implant dislocation in the immediate postoperative period. No further implant dislocations were observed during follow-up., Discussion: The HAPY® interpositional implant provided good clinical and radiographic outcomes for the management of long finger arthritis, offering functional results and improvement in range of motion, comparable to other series. The HAPY® interpositional implant has the advantage of being non-constrained and maximizing bone stock., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest PB is a consultant with Stryker, receiving royalties. None of the other authors have any conflicts of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2024 SFCM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Ulnar variance is an important radiological parameter for good functional outcome after distal radius fracture osteosynthesis. Secondary loss of reduction due to radial shortening is a common complication after volar locking plate fixation. Some authors recommend beginning by placing the most ulnar epiphyseal screw, ensuring that it is positioned as close as possible to the distal radioulnar and radiocarpal joints. The hypothesis of our study was that the positioning of the ulnar epiphyseal screw relative to the distal radioulnar and radiocarpal joints influences the maintenance of reduction during follow-up. 190 distal radius fractures were treated with volar locking plate fixation and divided into two cohorts: cohort A with <2 mm and cohort B with ≥2 mm loss of ulnar variance. Minimum follow-up was 45 days. The positioning of the most ulnar epiphyseal screw was evaluated using a single variable, the ulno-distal index. Means were compared using t-tests and proportions using chi-squared tests. The alpha risk was set at 5%. The intra- and inter-observer reliability of the ulno-distal index measurement were assessed. Mean ulno-distal index was significantly lower in cohort A at 11.28 mm, compared to 13.33 mm in cohort B; p < 0.0001. Ulno-distal index <12 mm was a significant protective factor: p < 0.0001 and relative risk 0.558. No other intrinsic or extrinsic factors of secondary loss of reduction significantly influenced the risk of ulnar variance alteration. The study confirmed the hypothesis that, in distal radius fracture treated with volar locking plate fixation, the closer the ulnar epiphyseal screw to the distal radioulnar joint and radiocarpal joint, the lower the risk of ulnar variance alteration., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Introduction: The results of surgical techniques vary depending on the level of the surgeon's experience. The level of expertise can be evaluated quantitatively or qualitatively. In this study, we evaluated the duration of the procedure and the size of the incision of minimally invasive fixation of distal radius fractures as a means of grading expertise and surgical performance. The null hypothesis of our study was that the level of expertise did not match the level of performance., Material and Methods: The study included 52 surgeons split in five levels of expertise who had performed 467 minimally invasive fixations of distal radius fractures. The performance of the surgeons in terms of duration of the procedure and size of the incision were scored according to the five levels of surgical experience using four different methodologies: clinical (setting limits compared to data found in literature), statistical (setting statistical limits of comparison in percentiles (20th, 40th, 60th, 80th) for each of the two parameters measured), arithmetical (setting limits compared to equal intervals for each of the 2 variables), and success rate (setting a threshold for each of the 2 variables)., Results: Our results showed a great disparity between levels of experience depending on the method used. The scores for levels 1 and 2 were 72% for expertise, 13% for performance according to the clinical method, 75% for the statistical method, 0% for the arithmetical method, and 57% according the success rate. The rate of level 3 was 23% for expertise, 41% for performance by the clinical method, 17% by the statistical method, 17% by the arithmetical method, and 15% by the success rate. The rates of levels 4 and 5 were 5% for expertise, 46% for performance clinical method, 8% by the statistical method, 83% by the arithmetical method, and 28% by the success rate., Discussion: The null hypothesis of our study was confirmed by the results which show that there was no correlation between levels of expertise and performance. The clinical method of assessment appears to reflect best the true level of performance of the surgeon., Conclusion: Publications reporting the results of a surgical technique for a given pathology should always mention the level of performance as measured on a clinical scale., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to SICOT aisbl.)

This study aimed to assess the influence of the surgeon's position on procedure time in MIPO (Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis) for distal radius fracture. The hypothesis was that there was a correlation between procedure time and the surgeon's position in relation to the operated side. Thirteen surgeons (12 right-handed, 1 left-handed) operated on 421 distal radius fractures: 208 right-sided (R) and 213 left-sided (L). Surgeons stood either at the patient's head (H) or the feet (F). Procedure time and scar size were measured. Regardless of operated side (right or left), mean surgery time was 35.5 min (range, 14-71) with the surgeon at the head and 40.5 min (range, 11-119) with the surgeon at the feet. The difference (5 min) was statistically significant. When the right side was operated on, surgery time was 34.2 min (range, 14-66) with surgeon at the head and 41.1 min (range, 11-86) at the feet. The difference (6 min) was statistically significant. No other comparisons were significant. There was no correlation with surgeon's experience. Given that 1 min of operating room time costs between €10.80 and €29, savings of €54 to €145 per procedure can be achieved. The study hypothesis was confirmed, with a correlation between the surgeon's position in relation to the operated side and the duration of the operation. In conclusion, we recommend that surgeons position themselves at the patient's head for of distal radius fracture MIPO., (Copyright © 2022 SFCM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Performance skills of a surgeon for a specific surgical technique range from 1 (novice) to 5 (expert). Mentoring can bring the surgeon to level 3. Simple experience rarely allows achievement of level 5, in contrast to deliberate practice, in which performance skills are improved by setting learning goals based on feedback about the trainee's previous performance., Hypothesis: When learning a technique for the internal fixation of distal radius fractures, the level of performance skills achieved is higher with deliberate practice than with mentoring or simple experience., Material and Methods: Four surgeons each performed minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) of 15 distal radius fractures. The procedures were recorded by an HD camera. The first five fractures (step 1) were treated after mentoring, the next 5 fractures after reading an article and viewing a reference video (step 2), and the last 5 fractures after viewing and commenting 20 short videos highlighting possible errors (step 3). Each recording of the procedures performed by the surgeons was scored using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS, 10 items on basic skills [B] and 10 on MIPO-specific skills [S])., Results: For the basic skills, the mean OSATS scores (on 50) were 31 for step 1, 31 for step 2, and 43 for step 3. For the specific skills, the mean OSATS scores (on 50) were 25 for step 1, 29 for step 2, and 48 for step 3. For overall skills (B+S), the mean OSATS score (on 100) was 56 for step 1, 60 for step 2, and 91 for step 3., Discussion: Our study confirms that the deliberate practice teaching method is more efficient in improving surgeon skills than simple experience. Deliberate practice consists of four essential steps: (i) setting a well-defined goal; (ii) being motivated to improve one's performance; (iii) receiving immediate feedback; and (iv) having multiple opportunities to repeat and gradually perfect one's performance. Our main hypothesis was verified, since the results of learning a MIPO technique, as assessed using the OSATS scale, were significantly better with a video-assisted deliberate practice technique than with mentoring or simple experience., Conclusion: Video-assisted deliberate practice deserves to be widely used in order to optimise learning curves and to improve risk management in surgery., Level of Evidence: III., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected medical treatment protocols throughout the world. While the pandemic does not affect hand surgeons at first glance, they have a role to play. The purpose of this study was to describe the different measures that have been put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by hand surgeons throughout the world. The survey comprised 47 surgeons working in 34 countries who responded to an online questionnaire. We found that the protocols varied in terms of visitors, health professionals in the operating room, patient waiting areas, wards and emergency rooms. Based on these preliminary findings, an international consensus on hand surgery practices for the current viral pandemic, and future ones, needs to be built rapidly., (Copyright © 2020 SFCM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)