Upper Extremity Disorders Flashcards
Distal Biceps tear: deformity known as? Fxn of biceps? Test? Indications to fix?
- popeye deformity (muscle bunched up - distally not attached)
- biceps: primarily supinates, also flexes (along w/ brachioradialis)
- test: hook test (feel the tendon)
indications to fix:
- laborer (turn things - screwdriver)
- popeye - pinches
- cosmetic
What is tennis/golf elbow? Presentation?
PE?
Tx?
- metaplastic change to tissue due to repetitive pronation of forearm and excessive wrist extension (tennis - lateral epicondylitis), golfers - medial epicondylitis
- presentation: tennis: lateral elbow pain esp w/ gripping, forearm pronation and wrist extension against resistance
golf: tenderness over medial epicondyle, worse w/ pulling motion, worse w/ wrist flexion against resistance - on PE:
if tennis: resistance of extension of hand, don’t need further w/u unless trauma, get X-ray if worried about arthritis - tx:
ibuprofen (metaplastic tissue gets pulled on and becomes inflamed) - doesn’t reverse metaplasia
injectable steroids (beta-methasone), time and therapy (biggest tx) - stretch and strengthening
What is olecranon bursitis?
Presentation?
PE?
Tx?
- inflammation over bursa
- etiology: gout, inflammation, direct trauma (repetitive, microtrauma) - cont leaning on elbows
- clinical manifestations: abrupt swelling (boggy, tender, red elbow), limited ROM w/ flexion, eval for skin breaks to r/o sepsis
- Tx: if drain most likely will come back (augment w/ abx), if traumatic don’t drain - can turn into chronic drainage (can lead to squamous cell carcinoma)
- compression sleeve - helps drain, helps w/ irrigation
- take out bursitis if interfering w/ ulnar nerve or infected
Radial nerve palsy:
How common
presentation
Tx?
- uncommon, easy to ID, called saturday night palsy (pass out after drinking on arm - have numbness on back of hand)
- have wrist drop, can’t extend wrist or fingers
tx: watch it, reer to ortho
Ulnar nerve palsy: What is affected? Tests? indications to fix? Tx?
- flexors and ulnar deviation affected - numbness in last 2 fingers that is worse w/ elbow flexion
- test: abduction and adduction (Wartenburg - push in on pinky, have pt resist, pinky will want to abduct), froments : thumb lifted up w/ paper in hand (weakness in adductor pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis)
- indications to fix:
subluxation of ulnar nerve, numbness throughout the day, instability, muscle atrophy - tx: wrap in dish towel, or volleyball kneepad, sleep w/ arm straight
Where are the 5 sights of compression of ulnar nerve?
- cubital tunnel - MC spot (2nd most common neuropathy after carpal tunnel) - have + Tinnels sign and phalens at elbow
- intramuscular septum
- 2 heads of flexor carpi ulnaris
- guyons canal (near the wrist)
What is the MC peripheral nerve neuropathy? What will pt complain of?
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- pt will complain of whole hand going numb except for pinky, feel weak distal to sight of impingement, won’t be aple to palmarly adduct w/ thumb
RFs for carpal tunnel? Clinical manifestations?
- DM big RF
- clincal manifestations: parasthesias and pain in first 3 + or - 4th finger esp at night (b/c of normal flexion of wrist during sleep), weakness in thumb, increased pain” at night, repeated flexion/extension of wrist, decreased pain: shaking hands
Dx of Carpal tunnel syndrome? Management? What can carpal tunnel mimic?
dx:
- tinel’s sign
- phalens sign: for 30-60 sec reproduces sxs, EMG
management:
volar splint, NSAIDs, corticoisteroids, surgery in refractory cases
- indications for carpal tunnel release:
muscle atrophy and chronic numbness - can mimic C6 - feel numbness, pain up arm but past elbow
What is Dupuytren’s syndrome? Tx?
- predominately found in N. Europeans, MC in men 40-60
- its thickening of palmar fascia (superficial to tendons), especially common at ring and pinky finger, nodules often painful
- histopath: myofribrous contracture
- genetic: also can get in feet (Lederhosen) and penis (peyronies)
tx:
- refer to ortho, or just follow if not bothersome
- needle aponeurotomy
- open palmar fasciatomy (gold std) - surgically excise
- collagenase (xiaflex) - clostridium toxin
What are ganglions? DDx? Tx?
- filled w/ synovial fluid at jt, a rent forms (weakening in jt capsule: fluid builds and creates a one way valve)
- DDx:
lipoma
schwanoma
AV malformation - if ganglion will transilluminate, if schwanoma look dark, positive tinel’s, can’t move proximally or distally just side to side, if AV malformation will see vessels upon transillumination, lipoma will transilluminate but will feel more rubbery
tx:
- observation
- immobilization - brace or splint
- aspiration: if causes great deal of pain or limits activities (fluid can be drained)
- surgery if all else fails
Arthritis:
presentation? Tx?
- osteophytes, loss of cartilage, bone spurs from inflammatory cascade
- in OA: won’t deviate to ulnar side like RA, affects DIP jts (heberden’s nodes)
- osteo-obliterans: total erosion of jt
- tx: anti-inflammatories (Tylenol in elderly if at risk for bleeding), splints, activity modification, steroid injections
- jt replacements - final tx
What is a swan neck deformity?
-have extended PIP and flexed DIP
What is a boutonniere deformity?
- sharp force against tip of partially extended digit - leads to hyperflexion of PIP and extended DIP (disruption of extensor tendon at base of middle phalanx)
How do you diff b/t profundus and superficialis muscle damage?
- profundus goes deep (flexes distal interphalangeal jt)
- superficialis flexes proximal interphalangeal jt
- profundus distinctly flexes DIP and indirectly flexes the PIP
- Can assess superficialis - have pt immobilize all fingers besides 1 being tested, prevents profundus from indirectly flexing PIP, and then instruct pt to flex - if finger if FDS intact - pt will flex at PIP jt
- to assess profundus: have pt extend digit, grab finger to immobilize PIP and MCP jts - instruct pt to flex finger - if profundus intact - pt will flex at DIP jt