Paul R. Manske 2015 Award for the Best Upper Extremity Congenital Research Manuscript

Abstract

Paul Manske’s numerous contributions in the field of congenital upper-extremity differences have improved our understanding and our ability to care for children with these birth anomalies. His numerous manuscripts helped to establish more effective classifications (radial deficiency, ulnar deficiency, central deficiency, and hypoplastic thumb) and surgical techniques (for cerebral palsy, hypoplastic thumb, and radial deficiency, among others). In an effort to honor Dr Manske and his commitment to the congenital hand surgery discipline, it is our pleasure to announce the winner of the fifth annual Paul R. Manske Award for the best upper-extremity congenital research manuscript published in 2015. The winner of this award was chosen after careful review of the scientific manuscripts in 6 journals including The Journal of Hand Surgery (American and European), The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American and British), Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (American), and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The Pediatric Hand Study Group and a group of former fellows of Dr Manske are behind the award, both philosophically and financially. The winner was felt to have the most impact and relevance for the field of children’s hand surgery and the care of patients with congenital hand anomalies. The Manske Award includes an honorarium. The 2015 award-winning article is: Ann E Van Heest, Anita Bagley, Fred Molitor, and Michelle A. James. Tendon transfer surgery in upper-extremity cerebral palsy is more effective than botulinum toxin injections or regular, ongoing therapy. J Bone Joint Surgery, 2015;97:529–536. Affiliations: Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California and Twin Cities. Summary: This manuscript reports the 1-year outcomes of 39 children with upper-extremity cerebral palsy enrolled prospectively into 1 of 3 treatment groups: tendon transfer surgery, botulinum toxin injection, and continuing therapy. The surgical group showed significantly greater improvement in the Shriners Hospital Upper Extremity Evaluation dynamic positional analysis, most notably with improved wrist extension and supination. Improvements in the surgical group were also noted in the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Importance: This manuscript reports the results of a multicenter prospective investigation with 25 patients randomized and 9 distributed by patient preference to 1 of the 3 groups. This level II study is the first to evaluate the outcomes in these 3 groups of patients with cerebral palsy, and its demonstration of the superiority of the surgical group is an important finding for clinicians.