A modification of Henry's anterior approach to the humerus

Computer-Assisted Surgical Anatomical Mapping of the Antebrachial Cutaneous Nerves: An Anatomical Study with a Proposition for Alternative, Cutaneous Nerve-Sparing Anterior Elbow Incisions

It is common practice to assess the distance from nerves to anatomical structures in centimeters, but patients have various body compositions and anatomical variations are common. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess the relative distance from cutaneous nerves around the elbow to surrounding anatomical landmarks by providing a stacked image that displays the average position of cutaneous nerves around the elbow. The aim was to research possibilities for adjusting common skin incisions in the anterior elbow so that cutaneous nerve injury may be avoided.

Methods

The lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN) and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve (MABCN) were identified in the coronal plane around the elbow joint in 10 fresh-frozen human arm specimens. Marked photographs of the specimens were analyzed using computer-assisted surgical anatomical mapping (CASAM). Common anterior surgical approaches to the elbow joint and the distal humerus were then compared with merged images, and nerve-sparing alternatives are proposed.

Results

The arm was divided longitudinally, from medial to lateral in the coronal plane, into 4 quarters. The LABCN crossed the central-lateral quarter of the interepicondylar line (i.e., was somewhat lateral to the midline at the level of the elbow crease) in 9 of 10 specimens. The MABCN ran medial to the basilic vein and crossed the most medial quarter of the interepicondylar line. Thus, 2 of the quarters were either free of cutaneous nerves (the most lateral quarter) or contained a distal cutaneous branch in only 1 of 10 specimens (the central-medial quarter).

Conclusions

The Boyd-Anderson approach, which is often used to access anteromedial structures of the elbow, should be placed slightly further medially than traditionally advised. The distal part of the Henry approach should deviate laterally, so that it runs over the mobile wad. In distal biceps tendon surgery, the risk of cutaneous nerve injury may be reduced if a single distal incision is placed slightly more laterally (in the most lateral quarter), as in the modified Henry approach. If proximal extension is required, LABCN injury may be prevented by using the modified Boyd-Anderson incision, which runs in the central-medial quarter.

Clinical Relevance

Cutaneous nerve injury may be prevented by slightly altering the commonly used skin incisions around the elbow on the basis of the safe zones that were identified by depicting the cumulative course of the MABCN and LABCN using CASAM.

Subbrachial approach to humeral shaft fractures: new surgical technique and retrospective case series study

BACKGROUND

There are few surgical approaches for treating humeral shaft fractures. Here we present our results using a subbrachial approach.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective case series involving patients who had surgery for a humeral shaft fracture between January 1994 and January 2008. We divided patients into 4 groups based on the surgical approach (anterior, anterolateral, posterior, subbrachial). In all patients, an AO 4.5 mm dynamic compression plate was used.

RESULTS

During our study period, 280 patients aged 30-36 years underwent surgery for a humeral shaft fracture. The average duration of surgery was shortest using the subbrachial approach (40 min). The average loss of muscle strength was 40% for the anterolateral, 48% for the posterior, 42% for the anterior and 20% for the subbrachial approaches. The average loss of tension in the brachialis muscle after 4 months was 61% for the anterolateral, 48% for the anterior and 11% for the subbrachial approaches. Sixteen patients in the anterolateral and anterior groups and 6 patients in the posterior group experienced intraoperative lesions of the radial nerve. No postoperative complications were observed in the subbrachial group.

CONCLUSION

The subbrachial approach is practical and effective. The average duration of the surgery is shortened by half, loss of the muscle strength is minimal, and patients can resume everyday activities within 4 months. No patients in the subbrachial group experienced injuries to the radial or musculocutaneous nerves.

Combined olecranon osteotomy and posterior triceps splitting approach for complex fractures of the distal humerus

Complex fractures involving the intercondylar/supracondylar distal humerus with extension into the mid to proximal humeral shaft are difficult to manage through a single standard surgical approach. We present and review a technique that combines an olecranon osteotomy with a posterior triceps splitting approach to the humerus. This technique was used in two patients who presented with severe intercondylar fractures of the distal humerus and extension proximally to the midshaft of the humerus. The technique allowed extensive distal humerus exposure, including the supracondylar/intercondylar region, and excellent exposure of the humeral shaft proximally to the surgical neck.