JHS Spotlight, Summer 2026

Chuck and Chris review 6 recent Journal of Hand Surgery articles with a variety of topics.  Tune in and see below.

1) Arends GR, van Kooij YE, Stern BZ, Hovius SER, Wouters RM; Hand-Wrist Study Group; de Ridder WA. Understanding Why Certain Patients With Hand and Wrist Conditions Are Dissatisfied Despite Achieving Their Expressed Personal Improvement Goals Anchored at Satisfaction: A Qualitative Study. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jun;51(6):687-697. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.12.009. Epub 2026 Jan 29. PMID: 41609542.

2) Lee SH, Kim MB, Lee YH. Surgical Management of Delayed Mallet Finger Fractures Using Combined Two-Extension Block Kirschner Wire and Dorsal Counterforce Techniques. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 May;51(5):555-563. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.12.019. Epub 2026 Jan 29. PMID: 41609545.

3) Lunasin RM, Capell W, Kaufman KR, Shin AY. Rethinking Muscle Testing: Dynamic EMG Studies of Elbow Positioning as a Differentiator of Pronator Teres and Quadratus Functions. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Apr;51(4):437.e1-437.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.09.013. Epub 2025 Oct 29. PMID: 41159989.

4) Morisaki S, Yoshii K, Tsuchida S, Oda R, Takahashi K. Comparison of Manual Tie and Knotless Suture Anchor Techniques in Arthroscopic Transosseous Foveal Repair of the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 May;51(5):503-510. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.01.021. Epub 2026 Mar 4. PMID: 41778936.

5) Mwangi J, Henriquez AR, Varney CR, Yu R, Kim JK, Baker RL Jr, Pidgeon T, Hammert WC. Suture-Button Suspensionplasty Does Not Provide a Sustained Functional Advantage Over Ligament Reconstruction and Tendon Interposition for Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthritis. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jun;51(6):623-630. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.02.019. Epub 2026 Apr 3. PMID: 41934451.

6) Surke C, Del Rosario PA, Huntington LS, Ek ETH, Tham SK, Ackland D. Fracture Fixation in an Unstable Scaphoid Fracture Model: A Biomechanical Comparison of Double Screw Osteosynthesis With Two Common Bone Graft and Fixation Techniques. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Apr;51(4):391.e1-391.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.09.007. Epub 2025 Oct 25. PMID: 41137815.

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The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx

Transcript

Charles and Christopher discussed upcoming events, including a live taping of the Upper Hand podcast at the Hand Society in Boston on September 18th at 4pm and a similar event for the British Society of Surgery. They also mentioned the quarterly spotlight on JHS articles and thanked Nash and Magdalena for their partnership. The conversation included personal updates about recent concerts and a Cardinals game sponsored by PracticeLink.

Scaphoid Non-Union Treatment Techniques

Christopher and Charles discussed a scaphoid waist non-union case, where Christopher performed a dorsal approach with a larger incision and bone grafting through the drill site, while Charles typically uses a smaller dorsal incision with mid-carpal arthroscopy for visualization. Charles shared his approach of using mid-carpal arthroscopy to assess scaphoid alignment and potentially deliver bone graft through the joint, though he acknowledged Christopher's method was equally appropriate. They also discussed techniques for harvesting bone graft from the distal radius, with Charles recommending harvesting proximal and radial to Lister's tubercle to avoid EPL rupture complications. The conversation concluded with Christopher introducing Check Point Surgical's new flexible nerve conduit product before moving on to their first article about comparing fixation techniques for unstable scaphoid fractures.

Scaphoid Fracture Fixation Techniques

Charles and Christopher discussed a study on rigid fixation techniques for scaphoid fractures, with Charles expressing that while the data was convincing, it didn't significantly impact his current minimally invasive approach using a single screw. Charles described his technique of using retrograde placement through a volar approach and opening the STT joint with derotation K-wires for temporary stability. The conversation then shifted to a separate topic about suture button suspensionplasty for thumb carpometacarpal arthritis, led by Warren Hammert, though the details about this second topic were cut off in the transcript.

Hand Surgery Techniques Discussion

Charles and Christopher discussed several recent articles in hand surgery, focusing on techniques and outcomes. They reviewed a study comparing suture button suspensionplasty and LRTI techniques, noting that early functional scores did not differ significantly between the groups despite expectations. They also discussed a technique for treating delayed mallet finger fractures using a combined extension block K-wire and dorsal counterforce approach, which Charles found promising despite his personal preference against dorsal pins. The conversation concluded with a discussion of a qualitative study on patient satisfaction in hand and wrist conditions, emphasizing the importance of understanding patients' specific goals rather than focusing solely on measurable outcomes.