Dataset Information

The influence of sex and trauma impact on the rupture site of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose and hypothesis

Although sex- and gender-specific analyses have been gaining more attention during the last years they have rarely been performed in orthopaedic literature. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether for injuries of the UCL the specific location of the rupture is influenced by sex. A secondary study question addressed the sex-independent effect of trauma intensity on the rupture site of the UCL.

Methods

This study is a retrospective analysis of all patients with either a proximal or distal bony avulsion or with a mid-substance tear or ligament avulsion of the UCL treated surgically between 1992 and 2015 at two level-I trauma centres. Trauma mechanisms leading to the UCL injury were classified into the following categories: (1) blunt trauma (i.e., strains), (2) low-velocity injuries (e.g., fall from standing height, assaults), and (3) high-velocity injuries (e.g., sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents). After reviewing the surgical records, patients were divided into three groups, depending upon the ligament rupture site: (1) mid-substance tears, (2) proximal ligament or bony avulsions and (3) distal ligament or bony avulsions. Dependencies between the specific rupture site and the explanatory variables (sex, age, and trauma intensity) were evaluated using ?2 test and logistic regression analysis.

Results

In total, 1582 patients (1094 males, 488 females) met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 41 years (range: 9-90 years). Taking into account the effects of sex on trauma intensity (p<0.001) and of trauma intensity on rupture site (p<0.001), mid-substance tears occurred more frequently in women, whereas men were more prone to distal ligament or bony avulsions (p<0.001). In other words, sex and rupture site correlated due to the effects of sex on trauma intensity and of trauma intensity on rupture site, but taking into account those effects there still was a significant effect of sex on rupture site.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate that with regression analysis both sex and trauma intensity allow to predict rupture site in UCL injuries.

SUBMITTER: Boesmueller S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5524296 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The influence of sex and trauma impact on the rupture site of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb.

Boesmueller Sandra S Huf Wolfgang W Rettl Gregor G Dahm Falko F Meznik Alexander A Muschitz Gabriela G Kitzinger Hugo H Bukaty Adam A Fialka Christian C Vierhapper Martin M

PloS one 20170724 7

<h4>Purpose and hypothesis</h4>Although sex- and gender-specific analyses have been gaining more attention during the last years they have rarely been performed in orthopaedic literature. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate whether for injuries of the UCL the specific location of the rupture is influenced by sex. A secondary study question addressed the sex-independent effect of trauma intensity on the rupture site of the UCL.<h4>Methods</h4>This study is a retrospective analysi ...[more]

PMID: 28738083

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Project description:BackgroundThe clinical diagnosis of thumb ulnar collateral ligament disruption has been based on joint angulation during valgus stress testing. This report describes a definitive method of distinguishing between complete and partial ulnar collateral ligament injuries by quantifying translation of the proximal phalanx on the metacarpal head during valgus stress testing.MethodsSixty-two cadaveric thumbs underwent standardized valgus stress testing under fluoroscopy with the ulnar collateral ligament intact, following an isolated release of the proper ulnar collateral ligament, and following a combined release of both the proper and the accessory ulnar collateral ligament (complete ulnar collateral ligament release). Following complete ulnar collateral ligament release, the final thirty-seven thumbs were also analyzed after the application of a valgus force sufficient to cause 45° of valgus angulation at the metacarpophalangeal joint to model more severe soft-tissue injury. Two independent reviewers measured coronal plane joint angulation (in degrees), ulnar joint line gap formation (in millimeters), and radial translation of the proximal phalanx on the metacarpal head (in millimeters) on digital fluoroscopic images that had been randomized.ResultsCoronal angulation across the stressed metacarpophalangeal joint progressively increased through the stages of the testing protocol: ulnar collateral ligament intact (average [and standard deviation], 20° ± 8.1°), release of the proper ulnar collateral ligament (average, 23° ± 8.3°), and complete ulnar collateral ligament release (average, 30° ± 8.9°) (p < 0.01 for each comparison). Similarly, gap formation increased from the measurement in the intact state (5.1 ± 1.3 mm), to that following proper ulnar collateral ligament release (5.7 ± 1.5 mm), to that following complete ulnar collateral ligament release (7.2 ± 1.5 mm) (p < 0.01 for each comparison). Radial translation of the proximal phalanx on the metacarpal head did not increase after isolated release of the proper ulnar collateral ligament (1.6 ± 0.8 mm vs. 1.5 ± 0.9 mm in the intact state). There was a significant increase in translation following release of the complete ulnar collateral ligament complex (3.0 ± 0.9 mm; p < 0.01) and an additional increase after forcible angulation of the joint to 45° (4.1 ± 0.9 mm; p < 0.01). Translation 2 mm greater than that in the stressed control was 100% specific for complete disruption of the ulnar collateral ligament complex.ConclusionsWhile transection of the proper ulnar collateral ligament leads to an increase in metacarpophalangeal joint angulation and gapping on stress fluoroscopic evaluation, only release of both the accessory and the proper ulnar collateral ligament significantly increases translation of the proximal phalanx on the metacarpal head.

Dataset Information

The influence of sex and trauma impact on the rupture site of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb.

Purpose and hypothesis

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

The influence of sex and trauma impact on the rupture site of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb.

Similar Datasets

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