Human Upper Extremity Allotransplantation
AmputationTraumatic2 moreBackground: Millions of people each year sustain injuries, have tumors surgically removed, or are born with defects that require complex reconstructive surgeries to repair. In the case of hand, forearm, or arm amputation, prostheses only provide less than optimal motor function and no sensory feedback. However, hand and arm transplantation is a means to restore the appearance, anatomy, and function of a native hand. Although over 70 hand transplants have been performed to date and good functional results have been achieved, widespread clinical use has been limited due to adverse effects of life-long and high-dose immunosuppression needed to prevent graft rejection. Risks include infection, cancer, and metabolic problems, all of which can greatly affect recipients' quality of life, make the procedure riskier, and jeopardize the potential benefits of hand transplantation. Study Design: This non-randomized, Phase II clinical trial will document the use of a new immunomodulatory protocol (aka - Pittsburgh Protocol, Starzl Protocol) for establishing hand transplantation as a safe and effective reconstructive treatment for upper extremity amputations by minimizing maintenance immunosuppression therapy in unilateral and bilateral hand/forearm transplant patients. This protocol combines lymphocyte depletion with donor bone marrow cell infusion and has enabled graft survival using low doses of a single immunosuppressive drug followed by weaning of treatment. Initially designed for living-related solid organ donation, this regimen has been adapted for use with grafts donated by deceased donors. The investigators propose to perform 30 human hand transplants employing this novel protocol. Specific Aims: 1) To establish hand transplantation as a safe and effective reconstructive strategy for the treatment of upper extremity amputations; 2) To reduce the risk of rejection and enable allograft survival while minimizing the requirement for long-term high dose multi-drug immunosuppression. Significance of Research: Hand transplantation could help upper extremity amputees recover functionality, self-esteem, and the capability to reintegrate into family and social life as "whole" individuals. The protocol offers the potential for minimizing the morbidity of maintenance immunosuppression, thereby beneficially shifting the risk/benefit ratio of this life-enhancing procedure and enabling widespread clinical application of hand transplantation.
Dexamethasone in Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block for Anesthesia After Pediatric Hand/Wrist...
Wrist DiseaseHand Injuries and DisordersEffect of Systematic Dexamethasone on the Duration of Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block for Anesthesia After Pediatric Hand/Wrist Surgery
Musical Biofeedback for Sensorimotor Control Capacity of Hands
Hand InjuriesIn the proposed study, the investigators assumed that music support treatment, a multisensory-based framework for ameliorating brain plasticity, combined with low-amplitude vibration stimulation can prime motor system and change in motor performance for the patient with a peripheral injury or the loss of a limb. The specific aim of this study is to develop a Multisensory Biofeedback with Musical Interface system, with the aim of improving the sensorimotor impairment of patients' hands.The expected outcomes of this research are to clarify the effects of application Multisensory Biofeedback with Musical Interface on motor and hand function for patients with hand injuries.
Hand Therapy Approach on Lumbrical Muscle Tears in Sport Climbers
Muscle TearHand Injuries1 moreThis study aimes to analyze the effectiveness of a Hand Therapy protocol in the management of patients who suffer from a tear of a lumbrical muscle, regarding on the symptoms during the clinical examination, the disability in their activities of daily living and the sports-specific function.
Percutaneous Pinning vs Orthosis and Early Mobilization
Hand InjuriesFinger FractureThis study aims at investigating if splinting and early mobilization is a better method, regarding range of motion, for treating fractures of the base phalanx of the fingers compared to surgery with pinning. This will be achieved through a randomised clinical trial comparing the two methods.
Craniomaxillofacial and Upper Extremity Allotransplantation
Face InjuriesHand Injuries4 moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate functional and aesthetic outcomes of combined facial and upper extremity composite tissue allografts on patients who have not achieved functional and aesthetic outcomes with conventional reconstructive surgical strategies and prosthetic devices.
Reconstruction of Hand Soft Tissue Defects
Hand InjuriesEvaluation of distally based posterior interosseous artery flap in reconstructing hand soft tissue defects that may result from trauma, extensive burns, tumor resection or congenital deformities.
CAT BITE Antibiotic Prophylaxis for the Hand/Forearm (CATBITE)
Cat BiteHand Injuries4 moreCat bites are puncture wounds that have the potential to seed bacteria deep within the joint capsule, periosteum, and bone. The hand is the most common site of bite injuries. Pasteurella multocida is the is the most common organism isolated from the mouths of cats that can cause infections after a bite. Prophylactic antibiotics are often recommended with amoxicillin-clavulanate for 3-5 days to decrease the incidence of developing an infection. However, only one randomized controlled clinical trial consisting of 12 patients has been performed to justify this course of treatment, raising the possibility that the use of antibiotics could be reduced or even eliminated. Investigators will compare different durations of prophylactic antibiotics and a placebo control for cat bites to the hand/forearm presenting to the Emergency Department, Urgent Care, Plastic Surgery Clinic using a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Participants presenting to the University of Missouri Hospital Emergency Department, Missouri University (MU) Healthcare Urgent Care, Plastic Surgery Clinic over the next year will be offered the chance to enroll if they meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria. For inclusion, participants will be >18 years of age, have cat bites to the hand or distal to elbow, and present within 24 hours of the cat bite injury. Participants must not present with active local or systemic infections, have received antibiotics within the past 30 days, or be immunocompromised (primary and secondary immunodeficiencies). Participants will be randomized to one of three treatment arms (placebo; amoxicillin-clavulanate 1 day; amoxicillin-clavulanate 5 days). Outcomes are the development of an infection at the location of the cat bite and/or systemic infection, adverse effects of interventions, disability assessed by Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) scores, and quality of life (QOL) assessed by HAND Questionnaire (HAND-Q) scores. Infection will be assessed at day 0, day 2, day 7+/-2, day 14+/-2, and day 30+/-2 by vital signs, laboratory values, physical examination and with an infrared and digital camera. All measures will be within the standard of care, apart from the infrared camera, QuickDASH, and HAND-Q scores. The anatomic locations of cat bites to the hand/forearm will be assessed for correlations with infections.
Lower Tourniquet Pressure Study
Hand InjuriesUpper Extremity InjuryThis study design is a prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial evaluating the quality of bloodless surgical field with lower tourniquet pressures based on systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared to standard tourniquet pressures. A secondary goal is to evaluate the effect of lower tourniquet pressures on post-operative tourniquet site pain. The rationale behind the study is to provide evidence-based guidelines on tourniquet use to continue providing quality surgical care while minimizing pain and potential harm to patients.
Hand Motor Rehabilitation Using a Wearable Robotic Device (WRL HX MCP)
Hand InjuriesThe purpose of this pilot study is to assess the safety and usability of the WRL HX MCP medical device, a prototypal robotic system for metacarpophalangeal joint mobilization. WRL HX MCP was developed by the Wearable Robotics Laboratory of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in a project funded by and in collaboration with INAIL, to fulfil the needs of patients with post-traumatic hand stiffness.