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To evaluate the subjective satisfaction of brachial plexus injury (BPI) patients after surgery based on the medical outcomes study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) and to correlate their SF-36 scores with upper extremity functions. Four items were assessed statistically for 30 patients: SF-36 scores after BPI surgery were compared with Japanese standard scores; the correlation between SF-36 scores and objective joint functions; difference in SF-36 scores between each type of BPI; and influence of each joint function on the SF-36 scores. The SF-36 subscale: PF--physical functioning, RP--role-physical, BP--bodily pain, and the summary score PCS--physical component summary, were significantly inferior to the Japanese standard scores. SF-36 is more sensitive to shoulder joint function than to elbow and finger joint functions. Little correlation was found between SF-36 scores and objective evaluations of joint functions. Greater effort is needed to improve the quality of life (QOL) of BPI patients. This study showed that SF-36 is not sensitive enough to evaluate regional conditions. A region- or site-specific questionnaire is required to evaluate upper extremity surgery.

According to congenital anomalies of the hand and forearm classifications, the common characteristic of overgrowth problems is the skeletal overgrowth of part or all of the hand. Congenital unilateral muscular hypertrophy of the upper extremity has been classified under the overgrowth (gigantism) problems as whole-limb hemihypertrophy. The common characteristic of overgrowth problems is the skeletal overgrowth of part or all of the hand, which is not prominent in these patients. Only 15 cases with this anomaly have been reported since 1962. These patients have abnormal muscles with hypertrophic appearance and changed tendon to muscle length ratio. This type of muscular hypertrophy shows an increase in the number of fibers in transverse section, as also seen in multiply innervated muscles like the sartorius and gracilis in humans. Although this phenomenon has a mosaic type distribution, there is no progression of the muscular hypertrophy during growth period. Hand deformities are not due to a part of progression of the disease but result of imbalance of the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. The evolutionary changes of skeletal muscles should be investigated to explain this congenital phenomenon and might be classified in a different entity from the present categories.

The scaphoid bone is a very rare location for enchondroma. The literature reports eight cases; five of them presented with pathologic fracture, and the youngest patient was 13 years old. This is a report of an 11-year-old patient with scaphoid enchondroma who presented with only mild pain in the left wrist. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the lesion clearly.

Therapeutic IV.

Supracondylar process syndrome of the humerus has received little attention in the orthopaedic literature. This case report presents a patient with this condition.

Double free gracilis transfer (DFGT) procedures introduced by Doi et al have resulted in significant improvement in maintaining functional prehensile hand after total brachial plexus injury (TBPI). However, not all patients with satisfactory recovery of finger motion could improve their prehensile function. The use of reconstructed hand in daily activities was examined retrospectively to plan individual grip function, depending on the patient's own demand. Thirty patients who had had reconstruction with DFGT procedures were evaluated retrospectively according to total active motion (TAM), power grip, hook grip, and pinch function. Power grip was evaluated by holding a bottle and hook grip by lifting a weight. Only 11 patients (36%) had very light pulp-to-pulp pinch, 11 (36%) had power grip, and 25 (83%) had hook grip. The mean weight that could be carried by hook grip was 1.3 kg. The mean TAM was 43 degrees. Pain sensation was the only encouraging sensation recovery, radiating to the chest. Fine movements of the hand like pinching require well-developed exquisite control of movements. TBPI patients have the contralateral normal limb, which they always prefer, only using their reconstructed hand when the activity requires both hands, such as when holding a bottle to open its cap or lifting bags when the contralateral normal hand is already engaged. For performance of these actions, hook grip and power grip are the useful prehensile hand functions that can be obtained after DFGT. Selection of grip functions should be done according to patient needs, and the late-stage reconstructive hand operations should be decided according to preferred grip function.

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