Purpose This study aimed to determine how Medicare physician reimbursements for operations related to symptomatic neuromas have changed over the past decade. Methods This retrospective review uses the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Look-up Tool to access reimbursement rates for common peripheral nerve surgeries. Six CPT codes frequently used to bill for neuroma excision, burying in muscle, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR), and regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) procedures were identified as representative of the peripheral nerve operations to treat symptomatic neuromas. Physician reimbursement rates were gathered from 2014 to 2024, with gross and inflation-adjusted changes in reimbursement calculated. Results For each included peripheral nerve procedure, there was a significant decrease in Medicare physician reimbursement both with and without inflation adjustments. CPT 64905 (for TMR) decreased 30%; CPT 64787 and 15769 (for intramuscular burying and RPNI) decreased 31% and 21%; and CPT 64784, 64782, and 64774 (for neuroma excision) decreased 28%, 26%, and 24%, respectively (all inflation-adjusted), with an average compound annual growth rate of −3.6%. For every 100 neuroma operations in 2014, surgeons in 2018 needed to perform an additional 5.6 to be reimbursed at equal levels. In 2024, surgeons need to perform an additional 27 operations for every 100 to be reimbursed equivalently as 5 years prior. Conclusions There has been a consistent decrease in physician reimbursement for procedures related to symptomatic neuromas, highlighting a larger trend in Medicare payments. Continued decline in reimbursement poses risk to these important treatment modalities, which could limit surgeons' ability to provide care to patients.
Surgical procedures, including nerve reconstruction and end-organ muscle reinnervation, have become more prominent in the prosthetic field over the past decade. Primarily developed to increase the functionality of prosthetic limbs, these surgical procedures have also been found to reduce postamputation neuropathic pain. Today, some of these procedures are performed more frequently for the management and prevention of postamputation pain than for prosthetic fitting, indicating a significant need for effective solutions to postamputation pain. One notable emerging procedure in this context is the Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI). RPNI surgery involves an operative approach that entails splitting the nerve end longitudinally into its main fascicles and implanting these fascicles within free denervated and devascularized muscle grafts. The RPNI procedure takes a proactive stance in addressing freshly cut nerve endings, facilitating painful neuroma prevention and treatment by enabling the nerve to regenerate and innervate an end organ, i.e., the free muscle graft. Retrospective studies have shown RPNI's effectiveness in alleviating postamputation pain and preventing the formation of painful neuromas. The increasing frequency of utilization of this approach has also given rise to variations in the technique. This article aims to provide a step-by-step description of the RPNI procedure, which will serve as the standardized procedure employed in an international, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05009394). In this trial, RPNI is compared to two other surgical procedures for postamputation pain management, specifically, Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) and neuroma excision coupled with intra-muscular transposition and burying.
Perioperative analgesia in patients undergoing cleft lip and palate repair is complicated by the risk of postoperative airway obstruction. We describe a technique of combined infraorbital and external nasal nerve blocks to reduce the need for opioid analgesia. Using this technique, we have successfully performed cleft lip repair under local anesthesia alone, without general anesthesia or intravenous sedation, in adolescents and adults. In children, this technique can reduce the need for postoperative opioids. We describe this novel analgesic approach to decrease opioid requirements and minimize perioperative risk.
Introduction After nerve injury, disorganized or incomplete nerve regeneration may result in a neuroma. The true incidence of symptomatic neuroma is unknown, and the diagnosis has traditionally been made based on patient history, symptoms, physical examination, and the anatomic location of pain, along with response to diagnostic injection. There are no formally accepted criteria for a diagnosis of neuroma. Materials and Methods A literature search was performed to identify articles related to neuroma: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed and Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for all relevant articles pertaining to neuroma. Articles were screened by title and abstract for relevance. If an article was considered potentially relevant, the full article was reviewed. After consideration, 50 articles were included in this systematic review. Results No previous articles directly addressed diagnostic criteria for symptomatic neuroma. Factors related to neuroma diagnosis gleaned from previous studies include pain and cold intolerance (patient history), positive Tinel sign or diminished 2-point discrimination (physical examination findings), response to diagnostic nerve block, and presence of neuroma on diagnostic imaging (ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging). Based on literature review, the importance and number of references, as well as clinical experience, we propose criteria for diagnosis of symptomatic neuroma. To receive a diagnosis of symptomatic neuroma, patients must have (1) pain with at least 3 qualifying “neuropathic” characteristics, (2) symptoms in a defined neural anatomic distribution, and (3) a history of a nerve injury or suspected nerve injury. In addition, patients must have at least 2 of the following 4 findings: (1) positive Tinel sign on examination at/along suspected nerve injury site, (2) tenderness/pain on examination at/along suspected nerve injury site, (3) positive response to a diagnostic local anesthetic injection, and (4) ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging confirmation of neuroma. Conclusions The diagnosis of neuroma is based on a careful history and physical examination and should rely on the proposed criteria for confirmation. These criteria will be helpful in more precisely defining the diagnosis for clinical and research purposes.
The aims of this study were to evaluate long-term patient-reported outcomes after revision carpal tunnel release (CTR); compare these outcomes with those of patients who had a single CTR and a comparable age, sex, race, type of initial surgery, and follow-up time; and assess which factors are associated with worse patient-reported outcomes after revision CTR.
Ganglion excision is performed for pain, functional impairment, or cosmetic reasons, with recurrence rates ranging between 9 and 20%. The aim of this study was to evaluate the recurrence and reoperation rates after ganglion excision, along with assessing patient-reported outcomes.
The main aim of the study was to investigate the survival and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after hospitalization for necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) of the upper extremity.
Background Total wrist fusion can be elected to relieve pain in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This study aimed to investigate the overall complications and the factors associated with reoperation and soft tissue complication after total wrist fusion. Methods We retrospectively identified adult patients who underwent total wrist fusion using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision (ICD-9 and ICD-10) and verified these by medical chart review. We included patients ( n = 215) who were treated at a single institutional system from January 1, 2002 to January 1, 2019. The mean age was 53.3 ± 15.0 years and the median follow-up was 6.1 years (interquartile range [IQR] =1.7-9.0). The most common indications for wrist fusion included inflammatory arthritis ( n = 66, 31%), degenerative arthritis ( n = 59, 27%), and posttraumatic arthritis ( n = 47, 22%). All wrist fusions were performed using a dorsal fusion plate or dorsal spanning plate, either with a local autograft ( n = 167, 78%), iliac crest autograft ( n = 2, 1.0%), allograft ( n = 7, 3.3%), a combination of both ( n = 16, 7.4%), or without a graft ( n = 23, 11%). We performed a multivariable logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with reoperation. In addition, we performed a similar analysis to identify the factors associated with soft tissue complication after total wrist fusion. Results Forty-one (19%) patients underwent reoperation at a median of 6.9 months (IQR = 3.9-18). The indications included symptomatic implants ( n = 12, 27%), implant failures ( n = 8, 20%), infections ( n = 7, 17%), and nonunions ( n = 6, 15%). In multivariable analysis, total wrist fusion of the dominant hand (odds ratio [OR]: 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-4.7, p = 0.033) was associated with a higher reoperation rate. Soft tissue complications occurred in 20 patients (9.3%) consisting of hematomas ( n = 8, 3.7%), observed blistering ( n = 5, 2.3%), and observed wound dehiscence ( n = 4, 1.9%). In multivariable analysis, smoking (OR: 2.5, CI: 0.95-6.4, p = 0.010) was independently associated with soft tissue complication after total wrist fusion. Seventy-two (33%) patients had a postoperative complication including symptomatic hardware ( n = 16, 7.4%), implant failure ( n = 11, 5.1%), infection ( n = 11, 5.1%), nonunion ( n = 8, 3.7%), and carpal tunnel syndrome ( n = 4, 1.9%). Conclusion Roughly one-third (33%) of the patients undergoing total wrist fusion experience a postoperative complication and 19% of the patients underwent a reoperation. Total wrist fusion of the dominant hand results in higher reoperation rates. The risk of a soft tissue complication after total wrist fusion is increased in smokers.
Chronic pain remains a significant challenge for individuals following limb amputation, with incidence of painful neuromas, phantom limb pain (PLP), and residual limb pain (RLP). Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a surgical technique designed to restore motor control information lost during amputation by redirecting residual nerves to new muscle targets. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare patient-reported and functional outcomes following amputation with either TMR or standard neurological treatment (SNT). The study also includes an examination of primary versus secondary TMR and explores outcomes in highly comorbid patient populations.
