Abductor Digiti Minimi Flap for Vascularized Coverage in the Surgical Management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Following Carpal Tunnel Release

Patient-Reported Outcomes Improve after Hypothenar Fat Flap for the Treatment of Recurrent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Background: Recalcitrant carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can present with persistent or recurrent symptoms after carpal tunnel release (CTR). A common aetiology for recurrent CTS is the development of perineural adhesions due to excess scarring. The hypothenar fat pad flap (HFPF) has been described to decrease the amount of scarring formed after revision CTR. Herein, we present a prospective evaluation of these patients. Methods: A prospective series of consecutive patients by a single surgeon with recurrent CTS was conducted. All patients had at least 3 months follow-up. Patients received a revision open CTR with HFPF. The primary outcome was the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ). Secondary outcomes included pain and satisfaction on visual analogue scale, range of motion, grip strength, patient-reported outcomes and complications. Clinical outcomes were compared between preoperative and postoperative intervals using paired t-tests, with significance defined as p < 0.05. Results: Fifteen wrists (14 patients) were recruited for the study. Patients were predominantly male (n = 9; 66%). Revision open CTR with HFPF was performed a median of 42 months (range: 4-300 months) post primary CTR. Patients demonstrated improved patient-reported outcomes with significantly improved BCTQ pain score (p < 0.01), Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation (p < 0.01) and QuickDASH (p < 0.001). Two patients in the series reported postoperative complications; however, there was no incidence of donor site morbidity recorded. Conclusions: Revision open CTR with hypothenar fat pad flap is associated with decreased pain, high patient satisfaction and improved functional measures compared to pre-operative status. Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic).

Treatment of Recurrent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with the Abductor Digiti Minimi Flap: A Case Series

Background: Approximately 5% of patients experience recurrent symptoms after carpal tunnel release (CTR) and need revision surgery. Several surgical techniques have been described for recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) flap is one of them. Literature concerning clinical results of the ADM flap for recurrent CTS is lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of the ADM flap for recurrent CTS.

Methods: We treated seven patients with the ADM flap (eight hands) between July 2016 and February 2019. Patient characteristics were assessed, and patients were asked about their symptoms (pain, sensation and paresthesia) before and after surgery. Postoperatively, we administered CTS symptoms, satisfaction with the surgery, patient-reported outcome measurements (BCTQ and QuickDASH) and whether they would undergo the same surgery again. Complications were also recorded

Results: The median follow-up was 14 months. The success rate measured by CTS symptoms was 88%. Seven out of eight patients were satisfied with the results and two patients would not elect to undergo the same procedure again. Two patients reported having a weaker grip at the donor site. The median BCTQ symptom and function scores were 2.9 (1.7–3.5) and 2.6 (1.8–3.0) respectively. The median QuickDASH score was 41 (IQR 22–52). Complications reported were wound dehiscence (n = 1) and hypertrophic scar (n = 1).

Conclusions: The outcomes of the ADM flap in patients with recurrent CTS were like other commonly used procedures in recurrent CTS.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)

Management of Recurrent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

Few comparisons have been performed between the outcomes of surgical techniques for recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome. Using a meta-analysis, this study aimed to compare the outcomes of different surgical techniques using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain as outcomes.

METHODS

The following categories were used to define the study's inclusion criteria: population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, and study design. Studies were examined by 2 reviewers, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. The studies were assigned to 1 of the following treatment groups: decompression with or without neurolysis, autologous fat transfer, hypothenar fat pad, pedicled or free flap, and "other." For our primary outcome, we compared improvement using the BCTQ and VAS for pain between the treatment groups. For our secondary outcome, postoperative BCTQ and VAS pain values were compared.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included: 5 case series with postoperative data only and 9 pre-post studies without a control group. With regard to our primary outcome, the studies reported an average improvement of 1.2 points (95% confidence interval [CI][1.5, 0.9]) on a scale of 1-5 on the symptoms severity scale (SSS) of the BCTQ, 1.9 points (95% CI [1.37, 0.79]) on a scale of 1-5 on the function severity scale of the BCTQ, and 3.8 points (95% CI [4.9, 2.6]) on a scale of 1-10 on the VAS for pain. We only found significantly lesser improvement in the "other" treatment group than in the hypothenar fat pad group and autologous fat transfer group using the SSS. The hypothenar fat pad group had the best reported postoperative SSS score of 1.75 (95% CI [1.24, 2.25]), function severity scale score of 1.55 (95% CI [1.20, 1.90]), and VAS pain score of 1.45 (95% CI [0.83, 2.07]).

CONCLUSIONS

All the techniques showed clinically important improvements in all the outcomes. We found lesser improvement in the "other" treatment group than in the hypothenar fat pad group and autologous fat transfer group using the SSS. We found that the hypothenar fat pad group had the best reported postoperative values in our secondary analysis.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic IV.

Revision Peripheral Nerve Surgery of the Upper Extremity

Peripheral nerve injuries of the upper extremity can result from a wide array of etiologies, with the two most common being compression neuropathy and traumatic injuries. These types of injuries are common and can be psychologically, functionally, and financially devastating to the patient. A detailed preoperative evaluation is imperative for appropriate management. Traumatic injuries can typically be treated with local burial techniques, targeted muscle reinnervation, and regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces. Median nerve compression is frequently managed with complete release of the antebrachial fascia/transverse carpal ligament and/or use of flap coverage such as the hypothenar fat pad flap and local muscle flaps. Ulnar nerve compression is commonly managed via submuscular transposition, subcutaneous transposition, neurolysis, and nerve wrapping. In this review, we discuss the preoperative evaluation, surgical techniques, and advantages and disadvantages of each treatment modality for patients with compressive and traumatic upper extremity nerve injuries.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery: What You Should Know

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery continues to evolve. Carpal tunnel syndrome remains a primarily clinical diagnosis, although ultrasound has supplemented electrodiagnostic testing as a confirmatory tool. Magnetic resonance imaging of the carpal tunnel has also showed some promise as an alternative method for the examination of the median nerve. Open CTR surgery remains the traditional, and most popular, method of CTR. Wide-Awake, with Local Anesthesia only, and No Tourniquet CTR has emerged as a means to decrease cost and improve pain control and convenience for patients. Endoscopic CTR is increasing in popularity due to its more rapid recovery. The safety profile of endoscopic CTR has improved, and recent studies show similar rates of major complications between open and endoscopic techniques. Nonsurgeon operated ultrasound-guided techniques for release of the transverse carpal ligament have emerged. While promising in early studies, the current evidence in their favor is limited in terms of patient numbers and direct comparison with other techniques. The outcomes of CTR continue to be excellent. Recent research has demonstrated that nerve conduction continues to recover postoperatively over a longer period of time than previously believed. Patient psychological factors play a significant role in outcomes after surgery but do not appear to limit the improvement provided by intervention.

A case series of seven patients with recurrent median nerve neuropathy treated by the revision surgery of median nerve neurolysis and wrapping with radial artery perforator adipose flap

Adhesion neuropathy of the median nerve with persistent pain can be a challenging problem. Currently, coverage of the median nerve with a well-vascularized soft tissue is deemed necessary after secondary neurolysis. Herein, we reviewed the outcomes of seven patients with a persistent median nerve neuropathy after a primary open carpal tunnel release or a median nerve repair, treated with neurolysis and median nerve wrapping with radial artery perforator adipose flaps. During the revision surgery, after a careful and complete neurolysis of the scarred median nerve, the distally based radial artery perforator adipose flap without its fascia was raised and rotated to wrap the median nerve. The mean size of the perforator flap was 1146 mm², which was enough to wrap the median nerve in all patients. At 26 months postsurgery, both the visual analog scale score for pain with tingling, and the patient-reported outcome measures improved. There was no recurrence of the median nerve adhesion neuropathy and no major complications were noted. Tinel's sign at the palmar wrist completely disappeared in four patients and was relieved in three patients. The median distal motor latency becomes recordable, and closer to a normal compound motor action potential postoperatively in all patients. Secondary neurolysis and median nerve wrapping with a radial artery perforator adipose flap, which was modified to be softer and thinner than the radial artery perforator adipofascial flap, was a successful treatment for the recurrent median nerve neuropathy in terms of both pain relief and restoration of the hand function.