The Upper Hand: Chuck & Chris Talk Hand Surgery

Chuck and Chris catch up and discuss the new JBJS 'What's New in Hand Surgery', written by Eric Wagner and Nina Suh.  This takes us through 2025 and highlights new and impactful scientific articles on our field. 
Wagner ER, Suh N. What's New in Hand and Wrist Surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2026 Mar 18;108(6):401-409. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.25.01568. Epub 2026 Feb 3. PMID: 41632853.

We are still need of a podcast intern!  We would appreciate any referrals!

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 catch up and discuss a few clinical scenarios including the Arcade of Struthers and indications to address it with ulnar nerve transposition.  They also discuss adolescent forearm instability, especially in congenital conditions, and the role of the one- bone forearm

We are still need of a podcast intern!  We would appreciate any referrals!

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 continue the initiative working with The Journal of Hand Surgery on a quarterly journal club.  Nash and Macerena choose the articles from the previous quarter and Chris and Chuck review the articles and discuss practical implications.  See articles below.
In addition, we discuss a case of possible pronator syndrome together with carpal tunnel syndrome including debate on the role of nerve studies, physical examination, and ultrasound.

1) Rames JD, Emanuels AF, Tunaboylu MF, Moran SL. A 40-Year Retrospective Evaluation of Vascularized Bone Grafting for Kienböck Disease. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jan;51(1):13.e1-13.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.07.025. Epub 2025 Aug 29. PMID: 40879579.
2) Suzuki T, Kiyota Y, Matsumura N, Sato K, Nakamura M, Iwamoto T. Anatomical Reconstruction of the Terminal Tendon and Lateral Band for Severe Chronic Tendon Mallet Injury. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Jan;51(1):92.e1-92.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.04.025. Epub 2025 Jun 21. PMID: 40542795.
3) Lee C, Shin S, Fraipont G, Hung V, McGarry MH, Lee TQ. Dermal Allograft Augmentation With Proximal Row Carpectomy: A Biomechanical Study. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Feb;51(2):143-152. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.05.006. Epub 2025 Jul 4. PMID: 40613810.
4) Jaarsma EH, Ring D, Tonn MD, Brinkman N. Do Patients Older Than 40 Years with Work Claims for Unilateral Wrist Symptoms Have Symmetric, Bilateral MRI Signal Changes That Do Not Correspond with Symptoms? J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Mar;51(3):313-320. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.11.012. Epub 2026 Jan 29. PMID: 41609546.
5) Pohl NB, Brush PL, Parson JP, Fitzgerald P, Charlton A, Beredjiklian PK, Fletcher DJ. Incidence and Predictors of Subsequent Triggering Requiring Treatment After Trigger Finger Release. J Hand Surg Am. 2026 Feb;51(2):203.e1-203.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2025.02.009. Epub 2025 Apr 9. PMID: 40202483.

We are in need of a podcast intern!  We would appreciate any referrals!

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 catch up on recent travels including the Pediatric Hand Study Group meeting in Atlanta.  We discuss a few cases including a 5th CMC fracture dislocation, a 5+ year old scaphoid nonunion, a nightstick fracture, and more.  We also respond to listener submitted questions including 4th compartment tenosynovitis, CMC arthritis with MCP hyperextension including the role of CMC fusion, and ulnar nerve transposition.
We are still in need of a podcast intern!  We would appreciate any referrals!

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 welcome Jason Strelzow to discuss AI in general, applications in medicine (including ambient listening), and his favorite chatbot.  Dr. Strelzow is a hand surgeon with a trauma focus at Wash U and is the JBJS AI Associate Editor.

We are in need of a podcast intern!  We would appreciate any referrals!

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