The past year proved to be an exciting year in hand surgery. As such, it is my distinct honor and privilege to provide an overview of some of these developments. This Update highlights some of the papers and reports presented at the annual meetings of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), and the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS) as well as studies reported in the literature beyond those published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Distal Radius Fractures
In the management of distal radius fractures, several factors may need to be considered, including the fracture pattern, radiographic alignment, and patient and surgeon characteristics. Park et al. conducted a multicenter, prospective randomized study investigating the role of short versus long arm plaster casts in the treatment of stable distal radius fractures in patients >55 years of age. Assuming a satisfactory reduction (<10 of dorsal angulation from neutral, <2 mm difference in ulnar variance compared with the contralateral side, <1 mm of articular step-off, and satisfactory distal radioulnar joint alignment), patients were randomized at 1 week post-injury to either type of cast for 6 weeks. When assessed at 6 months of follow-up, the groups did not differ significantly with respect to patient demographics, post-reduction radial inclination, radial
height, pain, or Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores. Those treated with use of a long arm cast had better maintenance of volar tilt but more shoulder pain and impairment in activities of daily living. The authors, therefore, advocated the use of a short arm cast for stable distal radius fractures for elderly patients.