The Upper Hand: Chuck & Chris Talk Hand Surgery

Chuck and Chris host a live podcast at the ASSH Annual Meeting in Boston.  Special guest Greg Merrell discusses new initiatives at the Journal of Hand Surgery to kick things off.  We discussed meeting highlights with audience members, hit on several controversies, reviewed the Touch Prosthesis for CMC, and so much more!  We apologize for the audio quality being subpar.

See www.practicelink.com/theupperhand for more information from our partner on job search and career opportunities.

The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx

Chuck and Chris briefly review challenges with the US healthcare system but spend most of the episode discussing difficult hand fracture cases.
Meyer ZI, Goldfarb CA, Calfee RP, Wall LB. The Central Slip Fracture: Results of Operative Treatment of Volar Fracture Subluxations/Dislocations of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint. J Hand Surg Am. 2017 Jul;42(7):572.e1-572.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2017.03.030. Epub 2017 May 3. PMID: 28476538; PMCID: PMC5510930.

See www.practicelink.com/theupperhand for more information from our partner on job search and career opportunities.

The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx

Chuck and Chris share thoughts and tips for success for new attendings and new fellows.  Things such as the 3 A's and the 3 E's (tune in for this new one) and many other pearls.

See www.practicelink.com/theupperhand for more information from our partner on job search and career opportunities.

The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx

Chuck and Chris review 6 recent Journal of Hand Surgery articles with a variety of topics.  Tune in and see below.
1) Arends GR, van Kooij YE, Stern BZ, Hovius SER, Wouters RM; Hand-Wrist Study Group; de Ridder WA. Understanding Why Certain Patients With Hand and Wrist Conditions Are Dissatisfied Despite Achieving Their Expressed Personal Improvement Goals Anchored at Satisfaction: A Qualitative Study. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jun;51(6):687-697. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.12.009. Epub 2026 Jan 29. PMID: 41609542.
2) Lee SH, Kim MB, Lee YH. Surgical Management of Delayed Mallet Finger Fractures Using Combined Two-Extension Block Kirschner Wire and Dorsal Counterforce Techniques. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 May;51(5):555-563. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.12.019. Epub 2026 Jan 29. PMID: 41609545.
3) Lunasin RM, Capell W, Kaufman KR, Shin AY. Rethinking Muscle Testing: Dynamic EMG Studies of Elbow Positioning as a Differentiator of Pronator Teres and Quadratus Functions. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Apr;51(4):437.e1-437.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.09.013. Epub 2025 Oct 29. PMID: 41159989.
4) Morisaki S, Yoshii K, Tsuchida S, Oda R, Takahashi K. Comparison of Manual Tie and Knotless Suture Anchor Techniques in Arthroscopic Transosseous Foveal Repair of the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 May;51(5):503-510. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.01.021. Epub 2026 Mar 4. PMID: 41778936.
5) Mwangi J, Henriquez AR, Varney CR, Yu R, Kim JK, Baker RL Jr, Pidgeon T, Hammert WC. Suture-Button Suspensionplasty Does Not Provide a Sustained Functional Advantage Over Ligament Reconstruction and Tendon Interposition for Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthritis. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jun;51(6):623-630. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.02.019. Epub 2026 Apr 3. PMID: 41934451.
6) Surke C, Del Rosario PA, Huntington LS, Ek ETH, Tham SK, Ackland D. Fracture Fixation in an Unstable Scaphoid Fracture Model: A Biomechanical Comparison of Double Screw Osteosynthesis With Two Common Bone Graft and Fixation Techniques. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Apr;51(4):391.e1-391.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.09.007. Epub 2025 Oct 25. PMID: 41137815.

See www.practicelink.com/theupperhand for more information from our partner on job search and career opportunities.

The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx

Chuck and Chris have a potpourri of topics including CMS proposed changes for 2027 (not good for hand surgery), cases, and two listener submitted topics: board preparation and caring for patients with ligamentous laxity/ Ehlers Danlos.

Chuck references Christian Pean's Substack called 'Techy Surgeon' as a great resource for value based care and all things tech including AI insights.

See www.practicelink.com/theupperhand for more information from our partner on job search and career opportunities.

The Upper Hand Podcast is sponsored by Checkpoint Surgical, a provider of innovative solutions for peripheral serve surgery. To learn more, visit https://checkpointsurgical.com/.

As always, thanks to @iampetermartin for the amazing introduction and concluding music.

For additional links, the catalog.  Please see https://www.ortho.wustl.edu/content/Podcast-Listings/8280/The-Upper-Hand-Podcast.aspx