OBJECTIVE: The assessment of fracture union includes physical examination and radiographic imaging, which depend on the examiner’s experience. The development of ancillary methods may avoid prolonged treatments and the improper removal of implants. Quantitative bone ultrasonometry has been studied for this purpose and will soon be included in clinical practice. The aims of the present study were to assess the feasibility of using this technique on the clavicle and to standardize its in vivo application. METHODS: Twenty adult volunteers, including 10 men and 10 women without medical conditions or a previous history of clavicle fracture, underwent axial quantitative ultrasonometric assessment using transducers in various positions (different distances between the transducers and different angulations relative to the clavicle). RESULTS: Similar values of wave propagation velocity were obtained in the different tested set-ups, which included distinct distances between the transducers and angular positions relative to the clavicle. There were significant differences only in the transducers positioned at 0° and at 5 or 7 cm apart. CONCLUSIONS: The use of bone ultrasonometry on the clavicle is feasible and the standardization of the technique proposed in this study (transducers placed at 45° and at 7 cm apart) will allow its future application in clinical trials to evaluate the healing process of diaphyseal fractures of the clavicle.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: To evaluate functional outcomes of patients submit-ted to proximal row carpectomy for the treatment of wrist arthri-tisMETHODS: This is a retrospective study using wrist motion and grip strenght of patients diagnosed with Kienböck disease and scaphoid non-union surgically treated by this techniqueRESULTS: Eleven patients with 2-year follow-up were evaluated. Wrist motion (flexion, extension and ulnar deviation) and grip strength were significantly better from preoperative values. Ho-wever, no difference in radial deviation was observed in these patientsCONCLUSION: Proximal row carpectomy provides an alternative option for treatment of wrist arthritis, resulting in better active range of motion and grip strength in the long run. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Objective: To analyze the influence of steel plates for osteosynthesis on the velocity of ultrasound propagation (VU) through the bone.Methods: The transverse coronal and sagittal velocity of ultrasound propagation underwater were measured on the intact bone and then on assemblies of the same bone with two types of osteosynthesis plates (DCP and semi tubular), fixed onto the dorsal side of the bones. The first arriving signal (FAS) was the ultrasound parameter used, taking the coronal and sagittal diameters as the distances to calculate velocity. Intergroup statistical comparisons were made at significance level of 1% (p<0.01).Results: Velocity was higher on the intact bones than on the bone-plate assemblies and higher for the semitubular than for the compression plates, although differences were not statistically significant for most comparisons (p=0.0132 to 0.9884), indicating that the steel plates do not interfere significantly with ultrasound wave propagation through the bone-plate assemblies.Conclusion: The velocity reduction effect was attributed to the greater reflection coefficient of the steel as compared to that of bone and water. Ultrasonometry can, thus, be used in the evaluation of healing of fractures fixed with steel plates. Experimental Study.

OBJETIVO: Medir a velocidade de propagação do ultrassom (VU) através de uma osteotomia transversal em tíbias de ovelha, antes e após a fixação com uma placa DCP. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizadas dez montagens de uma placa DCP com o segmento diafisário das tíbias, no qual era feita uma osteotomia transversal. Foi realizada a medida subaquática transversal, nos planos coronal e sagital, e axial da VU, no osso íntegro, nas montagens sem osteotomia e, depois, com osteotomia sem e com a compressão axial pela placa DCP; comparações estatísticas foram feitas ao nível de significância de 1% (p<0,01). RESULTADOS: Em comparação com a montagem com o osso intacto, a VU diminuiu com a adição da osteotomia e aumentou com a compressão axial, com significância somente para a modalidade axial de medida da VU. CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que esse dado pode ser aplicável ao acompanhamento pós-operatório das osteossíntese com placa DCP, com a capacidade de demonstrar quando esta se torna ineficiente. Trabalho experimental.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the ultrasound propagation velocity (UV) through a tibial transverse osteotomy in sheep, before and after the fixation with a DCP plate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten assemblies of a DCP plate with the diaphyseal segment of tibiae, in which a transverse osteotomy was made, were used. Both coronal and sagittal transverse and the axial UV were measured, first with the intact bone assembled with the plate and then with the uncompressed and compressed osteotomy; statistical comparisons were made at the 1% (p<0.01) level of significance. RESULTS: Compared with the intact bone assembly, axial UV significantly decreased with the addition of the osteotomy and significantly increased with compression, presenting the same behavior for the other modalities, although not significantly. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In accordance with the literature data on the ultrasonometric evaluation of fracture healing, underwater UV measurement was able to demonstrate the efficiency of DCP plate fixation. The authors conclude that the method has a potential for clinical application in the postoperative follow-up of DCP plate osteosinthesis, with a capability to demonstrate when it becomes ineffective. Laboratory investigation.

OBJETIVO: Analisar e comparar as características dos pacientes com sindactilia congênita com os dados da literatura. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo baseado na análise do prontuário médico de 47 pacientes tratados em um período de 10 anos. RESULTADOS: Dos pacientes, 33 (70%) eram do sexo masculino e 14 (30%) do feminino. O número total de sindactilias foi de 116. A mão direita foi acometida em 19 casos (40%), a mão esquerda em 12 (24%) e em 17 (36%) o acometimento foi bilateral. Dezesseis (34%) pacientes possuíam síndromes genéticas. Entre os 31 (66%) não-sindrômicos, 12 (39%) apresentavam sindactilias isoladas e 19 (61%) associação com outras malformações da mão. O terceiro espaço foi acometido 45 (39%) vezes, seguido do quarto espaço com 35 (30%), do segundo com 22 (19%) e do primeiro com 14 (12%). As sindactilias simples foram encontradas 68 (59%) vezes, sendo completas em 44 (65%) situações e parciais em 24 (55%). As complexas foram identificadas 48 (41%) vezes. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos na presente série são muito semelhantes aos dados encontrados na literatura. Estudo Epidemiológico.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and report clinical data from patients with syndactyly. METHODS: A retrospective review of 47 patients treated between April 2002 and April 2012. RESULTS: Among the 47 analyzed patients, 33 (70%) were male and 14 (30%) female. The total number of syndactylies was 116. The right hand was affected in 19 patients (40%), the left hand in 12 (24%) and 31 (36%) were bilaterally compromised. Sixteen patients (34%) also presented genetic syndromes. Among the 31 (66%) patients without syndromes, 12 (39%) had isolated syndactyly and 19 (61%) presented association with other hand anomalies. The third web space was affected 45 (39%) times; the fourth, 35 (30%) times; the second, 22 (19%) times and the first web space 14 (22%) times. Simple syndactyly was found 68 (59%) times, complete syndactyly in 44 (65%) and incomplete in 24 (55%). Complex syndactyly was found 48 (41%) times. CONCLUSION: The results in this study are similar to the literature. Epidemiological Study.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência da espessura do osso cortical sobre a velocidade de propagação do ultrassom (in vitro). MÉTODO: Foram utilizadas 60 lâminas ósseas confeccionadas a partir do fêmur de bovinos, com diferentes espessuras, variando de 1 a 6mm (10 de cada). As medidas da velocidade do ultrassom foram realizadas por aparelho projetado para este fim, utilizando técnica subaquática e por contato direto com auxílio de gel de acoplamento. Os transdutores foram posicionados de duas maneiras diferentes; opostos entre si, com o osso entre eles, sendo a medida chamada de transversal; e, paralelos na mesma superfície cortical, sendo a medida chamada de axial. RESULTADOS: Com o modo de transmissão axial, a velocidade de propagação do ultrassom aumenta conforme a espessura do osso cortical aumenta, independente da distância entre os transdutores, até a espessura de 5mm, mantendo-se constante após. Não houve alteração da velocidade quando o modo de transmissão foi transversal. CONCLUSÃO: A velocidade de propagação do ultrassom aumenta com o aumento da espessura da cortical óssea, no modo de transmissão axial, até o momento em que a espessura supera o comprimento da onda, mantendo a velocidade constante a partir de então. Nível de Evidência: Estudo Experimental.

OBJECTIVE: An experimental in vitro study was carried out to evaluate the influence of cortical bone thickness on ultrasound propagation velocity. METHODS: Sixty bone plates were used, made from bovine femurs, with thickness ranging from 1 to 6 mm (10 of each). The ultrasound velocity measurements were performed using a device specially designed for this purpose, in an underwater acoustic tank and with direct contact using contact gel. The transducers were positioned in two ways: on opposite sides, with the bone between them, for the transverse measurement; and parallel to each other, on the same side of the bone plates, for the axial measurements. RESULTS: In the axial transmission mode, the ultrasound velocity speed increased with cortical bone thickness, regardless of the distance between the transducers, up to a thickness of 5 mm, then remained constant thereafter. There were no changes in velocity when the transverse measures were made. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound velocity increased with cortical bone thickness in the axial transmission mode, until the thickness surpasses the wavelength, after which point it remained constant. Level of Evidence: Experimental Study.