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Biomedical subjects

F Kretschmer

Publications and source records attributed to F Kretschmer.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

[Resection arthroplasty of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb - results of 132 cases].

BACKGROUND: Resection arthroplasty of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb is considered to be the most frequently used surgical treatment for arthrosis of the trapeziometacarpal joint. To avoid proximalisation and to improve stability of the first metacarpal, tendon-sling resectional arthroplasties have gained general approvement. To further simplify surgery, we have used a surgical technique since 1995, that consists in a fixation of the first metacarpal with local capsular tissue. METHOD AND CLINICAL MATERIAL: From 2000 to 2001, 152 resections of the trapezium were performed in 147 patients with arthrosis of the first carpometacarpal joint. 48 surgical procedures included a tendon-sling arthroplasty; in 104 cases stabilisations of the first metacarpal were achieved by fixing local radiopalmar capsular tissue to the flexor-carpi-radialis tendon. After a mean follow-up of 30 months (18 to 41 months), patients were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning pain, physical strength, practical skills, maximal physical capacity and aesthetic result. The general surgical result had to be scored and the recovery time until the thumb could be used for activities of daily living had to be recorded. RESULTS: 132 of 152 questionnaires, 43 of the patients with tendon-sling arthroplasty and 89 of the patients with arthroplasty with local radiopalmar capsular tissue, were returned. After tendon-sling arthroplasty, 69.8 % of the patients judged their results to be good or very good, after stabilisation with radiopalmar capsular tissue 69.7 % of the patients valued their surgical results good or very good. Unsatisfactory results were found in 18.6 % of the patients after tendon-sling arthroplasty and in 19.1 % of the patients after stabilisation with radiopalmar capsular tissue. The thumb could be used for every-day life after a mean time of 6.7 months. There was no significant difference between the operative procedures. CONCLUSION: The collected data implies that resection-arthroplasty of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb with stabilisation by radiopalmar capsular tissue yields similar results compared to tendon-sling arthroplasty.

Activities of Daily Living↗

[Operative treatment in hand infections].

Bacterial infections in the hand may begin slowly after innocent wounds. They may spread rapidly especially following risk wounds. Destruction of anatomical structures causes local defects, severe loss of function and septicemia is possible. Causes, pathophysiological, clinical signs, and therapeutical management are described. It is most important and un-dispensable to have an early and exact diagnosis and consistent therapy: immediate radical surgical debridement, open wounds, antibiotic treatment, immobilisation and early mobilisation are necessary to have good results.

Arthritis, Infectious↗

[The BIAX total wrist prosthesis as an alternative to arthrodesis in degenerative and posttraumatic arthritis--early results in twenty-one patients].

The BIAX total wrist prosthesis was first implanted 1983 by Beckenbaugh in the United States. From a total of twenty-one BIAX-prostheses between March 2001 and February 2002, we have inserted eleven in patients for degenerative arthrosis, eight for posttraumatic arthrosis and two for rheumatoid arthritis of the wrist. The average age of the patients was 53.0 +/- 10.7 years with a follow-up between eleven and fourteen months on an average of one year. The motion of the operated joints was preserved on average. We have taken pain as the main criterion for the success of the operation and distinguished between pain at rest, in motion and under exertion. All patients showed a very good pain relief of 5 1/2 values from 6 1/2 before to one after surgery on a scale from one to ten. Pain relief is less under exertion, thus we are reserved with heavy workers of the implantation of the prosthesis. Apart from that, the indication corresponds to the arthrodesis of the wrist. The satisfaction of patients with the prosthesis is very high: 17 patients declared it was much better, three declared it was better and only one patient said it was unchanged. Complications occurred in six patients. The main complication was the postoperative dislocation of the prosthesis in three patients. After repositioning, the joints were long-term stable. The straight secured surgical technique is described in detail. For the majority of patients with posttraumatic or degenerative arthrosis, as well as with rheumatoid arthritis, the BIAX wrist prosthesis is recommended as a first-time operation as an alternative to wrist arthrodesis due to pain relief with preservation of joint motion and good acceptance among patients.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗