Grooveplasty Compared With Trochleoplasty for the Treatment of Trochlear Dysplasia in the Setting of Patellar Instability.

Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy in the resolution of patellar instability, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and complication and reoperation rates between patients who underwent grooveplasty (proximal trochleoplasty) and patients who underwent trochleoplasty as part of a combined patellofemoral stabilization procedure. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify a cohort of patients who underwent grooveplasty and a cohort who underwent trochleoplasty at the time of patellar stabilization. Complications, reoperations, and PRO scores (Tegner, Kujala, and International Knee Documentation Committee scores) were collected at final follow-up. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher exact test were performed when appropriate, and P < .05 was considered significant. Results: Overall, 17 grooveplasty patients (18 knees) and 15 trochleoplasty patients (15 knees) were included. Seventy-nine percent of patients were female, and the average follow-up period was 3.9 years. The mean age at first dislocation was 11.8 years overall; most patients (65%) had more than 10 lifetime instability events and 76% of patients underwent prior knee-stabilizing procedures. Trochlear dysplasia (Dejour classification) was similar between cohorts. Patients who underwent grooveplasty had a higher activity level (P = .007) and a higher degree of patellar facet chondromalacia (P = .008) at baseline. At final follow-up, no patients had recurrent symptomatic instability after grooveplasty compared with 5 patients in the trochleoplasty cohort (P = .013). There were no differences in postoperative International Knee Documentation Committee scores (P = .870), Kujala scores (P = .059), or Tegner scores (P = .052). Additionally, there were no differences in complication rates (17% in grooveplasty cohort vs 13% in trochleoplasty cohort, P > .999) or reoperation rates (22% vs 13%, P = .665). Conclusions: Proximal trochlear reshaping and removal of the supratrochlear spur (grooveplasty) in patients with severe trochlear dysplasia may offer an alternative strategy to complete trochleoplasty for the treatment of trochlear dysplasia in complex cases of patellofemoral instability. Grooveplasty patients showed less recurrent instability and similar PROs and reoperation rates compared with trochleoplasty patients. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

The Development and Early Experience of a Destination Center of Excellence Program for Total Joint Arthroplasty.

High-volume total joint arthroplasty centers are becoming designated as destination centers of excellence to ensure quality of care while containing costs. This study aimed to evaluate the surgical patient journey through a new destination center of excellence program, review acute perioperative course trajectories, and report clinical outcomes. Our institution developed and implemented a destination center of excellence program to integrate into the existing total joint arthroplasty practice. A retrospective record review and analysis were performed for the first 100 destination center of excellence total knee arthroplasties and total hip arthroplasties enrolled in the program to evaluate program efficacy at a minimum 1-year follow-up. The study initially screened 213 patients, of whom 100 (47%) met program criteria and completed surgery (67 total knee arthroplasties and 33 total hip arthroplasties). The complication rate was 2%, and five patients (7.5%) required manipulation under anesthesia for stiffness after total knee arthroplasty. Two reoperations were needed: a neurectomy after total knee arthroplasty and a revision after total hip arthroplasty. The early experience of a destination center of excellence program has been favorable, with low complication rates and excellent outcomes.

Shoulder arthroplasty after prior anterior shoulder instability surgery: a matched cohort analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of prior anterior shoulder instability surgery (SIS) on the outcomes and complications of primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA). METHODS: Between 2007 and 2018, 38 primary total shoulder arthroplasties (TSA) (22 aTSA and 16 rTSA) with a prior SIS and a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were identified. This cohort was matched 1:3 based on age, sex, body mass index, year of surgery, and dominant shoulder. aTSA and rTSA were matched to patients with primary osteoarthritis (OA) and rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA), respectively. RESULTS: TSA produced similar postoperative pain, ROM, patient-reported outcome measures, complications, and revisions in those with prior SIS vs. controls. aTSA with prior SIS demonstrated worse final postoperative abduction (116° vs. 133°; P = 0.046) and abduction improvement (24° vs. 47°; P = 0.034) compared to OA controls. Both aTSA and rTSA with prior SIS demonstrated significant improvements from baseline across all metrics, with no significant differences between the groups. aTSA and rTSA with prior SIS demonstrated no differences to controls in complications (4.6% vs. 6.1%; P = .786 and 0% vs. 6.3%. P = .183) or revisions (4.6% vs. 4.6%; P = .999 and 0% vs. 4.2%; P = .279). CONCLUSIONS: TSA after prior SIS surgery can improve both pain and function without adversely increasing the rates of complications or revision surgery. When compared to patients without prior SIS, aTSA demonstrated worse abduction; however, all other functional differences remained statistically similar. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; Retrospective Cohort Comparison; Treatment Study.

Shoulder arthroplasty after prior external beam radiation therapy: a matched cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: External beam radiation therapy (XRT) is a commonly used therapeutic modality for the treatment of various chest wall and axillary malignancies. Despite the known risk of local soft tissue dysfunction, and possibly compromised bone ingrowth for cementless implants, there remains limited data on the impact of prior XRT in a shoulder arthroplasty (SA) cohort. This study evaluated the outcomes of primary SA in patients with prior XRT compared to a matched cohort (MC). METHODS: Over a 27-year time period (1993-2020), 80 primary SAs (7 hemiarthroplasties [HAs], 29 anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties [aTSAs], and 44 reverse shoulder arthroplasties [rTSAs]) with previous XRT to the upper chest or axillary region and a minimum of 2-year follow-up were included. This cohort was matched (1:2) according to age, sex, body mass index (BMI), implant, and year of surgery with patients who had undergone HA or TSA for osteoarthritis or RSA for cuff tear arthropathy. Clinical outcomes including pain, active shoulder range of motion (ROM), strength, complications, and reoperations inclusive of revision surgery were assessed. RESULTS: The XRT cohort consisted of 71 (88.8%) women with a mean age of 70.9 (range, 43-87) years, BMI of 30.9 ± 7.6, and follow-up period of 6.6 years (range, 2.0-28.2). In these patients, SA led to substantial improvements in pain, ROM, and strength across the entire cohort. When compared to the MC, the XRT group demonstrated a lower final postoperative forward elevation (FE) (111° vs. 126°; P = .013) and less improvements in pain (5.3 vs. 6.2; P = .002), FE (34° vs. 54°; P = .002), and external rotation (13° vs. 24°; P < .001). There were 14 (17.5%) complications and 7 reoperations in the XRT group, with rotator cuff failure after HA or TSA (n = 4 of 36; 11.1%) as the most common complication and no instances of loose humeral components. The XRT group had a higher rate of complications (17.5% vs. 8.1%; P = .03) but not reoperations (8.8% vs. 3.1%; P = .059). When evaluated by implant, rTSA demonstrated the lowest rate of reoperations followed by aTSA and HA (2.3% vs. 10.3% vs. 42.9%; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Primary SA is an effective treatment modality for the improvement of pain, motion, and strength in patients with a history of prior XRT. However, when compared to patients without prior XRT, less clinical improvement and a higher rate of postoperative complications were observed.

Preoperative Pressure Ulcers, Mortality, and Complications in Older Hip Fracture Surgery Patients.

INTRODUCTION: The effect of a preoperative pressure ulcer (PPU) in hip fracture patients on postoperative outcomes has not been well studied. We hypothesized that the presence of a PPU would be associated with increased mortality and serious complications in hip fracture surgery patients. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study of 19,520 hip fracture patients from 2016 to 2019 with data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. The study exposure was the presence of a PPU. This study's primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, surgical site infection, pneumonia, and unplanned hospital readmission. Propensity score analysis and inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to control for confounding and reduce bias. RESULTS: The presence of a PPU was independently associated with a 21% increase in odds of 30-day mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, P = 0.004). The presence of a PPU was also independently associated with increased odds of DVT (OR = 1.59, P < 0.001), pneumonia (OR = 1.39, P < 0.001), and unplanned hospital readmission (OR = 1.43, P < 0.001) and a significant increase in the mean length of hospital stay of 0.4 days (P = 0.007). DISCUSSION: We found that PPUs were independently associated with increased 30-day mortality, DVT, pneumonia, hospital length of stay, and unplanned hospital readmission.

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty yields similar results to anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of humeral head avascular necrosis.

BACKGROUND: Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the humeral head frequently results in humeral head collapse and end-stage arthritic changes of the glenohumeral joint. Despite the recent proliferation of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA), reports on the use of RTSA for AVN remain limited. The purpose of this study was to document the outcomes of shoulders indicated for RTSA in the setting of humeral head AVN and compare these with AVN shoulders indicated for the gold standard, anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA). METHODS: A retrospective review of a multinational shoulder arthroplasty database was performed between August 2005 and August 2017. All shoulders with a preoperative diagnosis of AVN (aTSA in 52 and RTSA in 67) were reviewed. The shoulders in the RTSA cohort were matched (1:1) to shoulders with cuff tear arthropathy, whereas the shoulders in the aTSA cohort were matched (1:1) to shoulders with primary osteoarthritis. The mean follow-up period was 47 months (range, 24-130 months) for RTSA and 54 months (range, 24-124 months) for aTSA. Shoulders were evaluated for active range of motion (ROM) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) prior to surgery and at latest follow-up. Patients treated with RTSA were compared with both the aTSA study cohort and the control group using the Student t test or χ2 test as indicated. RESULTS: RTSAs performed for AVN demonstrated significant improvements in all ROMs and PROMs. Patients undergoing aTSA for AVN were significantly younger than those undergoing RTSA (59 years vs. 73 years, P < .001). At similar follow-up points, the RTSA cohort demonstrated significantly greater improvement in abduction (+51° vs. +32°, P = .03) whereas the aTSA cohort demonstrated significantly greater improvement in internal rotation. Postoperative University of California, Los Angeles scores (30 vs. 27, P = .014) and visual analog scale scores (1.4 vs. 2.4, P = .025) were better after RTSA; however, these differences between prosthesis types did not exceed the minimal clinically important difference. When compared with the control patients, the patients undergoing RTSA for AVN showed similar improvements in all ROMs and PROMs. Similarly, aTSA performed for AVN resulted in comparable improvements in pain, ROMs, and PROMs compared with aTSA performed for primary osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: RTSA results in similar PROMs to aTSA in the treatment of AVN. Therefore, surgeons should continue to consider other patient factors such as glenoid bone loss and rotator cuff status when selecting implant polarity in patients with AVN.

Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty After Prior Rotator Cuff Repair: A Matched Cohort Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Rotator cuff repair (RCR) is commonly performed before reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) with conflicting evidence on the effect on arthroplasty outcomes. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of a prior RCR on the outcomes and complications of primary RSA. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2017, 438 RSAs performed in patients with a prior RCR and 876 case-matched controls were identified from a multicenter database. Patients were grouped based on a preoperative diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) and rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). Data collected included range of motion, strength, complications, and revisions. Additional clinical metrics included American Shoulder and Elbow Society score, Constant score, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, Simple Shoulder Test, and the University of California Los Angeles shoulder score. RESULTS: Compared with controls, both GHOA and CTA study groups demonstrated lower postoperative forward elevation (FE) (133° versus 147°, P < 0.001; 133° versus 139°, P = 0.048) and FE trength (6.5 versus 8.2, P = 0.004; 6.1 versus 7.3, P = 0.014). In addition, inferior improvements were observed in the GHOA and CTA study groups with respect to abduction (38° versus 52°, P = 0.001; 36° versus 49°, P = 0.001), FE (41° versus 60°, P < 0.001; 38° versus 52°, P = 0.001), ER (16° versus 25°, P < 0.001; 10° versus 17°, P = 0.001), and Constant score (28.4 versus 37.1, P < 0.001; 26.2 versus 30.9, P = 0.016). Compared with controls, no differences were observed in the GHOA and CTA study groups with respect to notching (11.2% versus 5.6%, P = 0.115; 5.8% versus 7.9%, P = 0.967), complications (4.3% versus 1.6%, P = 0.073; 2.5% versus 2.7%, P = 0.878), and revision surgery (3.1% versus 0.9%, P = 0.089; 1.1% versus 1.3%, P = 0.822). CONCLUSION: RSA after a prior RCR improves both pain and function, without increasing scapular notching, complications, or revision surgery. However, compared with patients without a prior RCR, postoperative shoulder function may be slightly decreased. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III; Retrospective Cohort Study.

Articular Surface Failure of a Hybrid Anatomic Glenoid Component: A Case Report.

CASE: We present a case of a 71-year-old woman with history of left-sided shoulder arthritis who underwent standard total shoulder arthroplasty using a novel hybrid glenoid component. After 3 years, she sustained traumatic dissociation of the interface between the polyethylene face and central titanium post, a unique failure mechanism of the hybrid glenoid component. This was successfully corrected through conversation to reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). Follow-up after 2 years demonstrated marked improvement in pain and function. CONCLUSION: Hybrid glenoid components present a unique failure mechanism as compared to traditional glenoid loosening and can be effectively corrected with RSA.

Shoulder arthroplasty is a viable option in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) have high rates of shoulder instability, which place them at increased risk for instability-related arthropathy. Many studies have assessed outcomes for both primary and revision shoulder instability procedures in this patient population, but there is a paucity of data regarding the outcome of shoulder arthroplasty in EDS patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results and complications of shoulder arthroplasty (SA) performed in a cohort of patients with EDS and compare them to a matched cohort of patients with no EDS. METHODS: Over an 11-year period, 10 patients with EDS were identified at a single institution who underwent primary SA (6 anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties [aTSAs], 4 reverse shoulder arthroplasties [RTSAs]). Shoulders were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 60 months (range 25-97 months). This cohort was matched 1:2 based on age, sex, and year of surgery, with patients who underwent SA for either primary osteoarthritis (OA) for aTSA or cuff tear arthropathy for RTSA. EDS patients had a mean age of 55 years, mean body mass index of 26.1, and were all female. The primary outcome measures were postoperative pain, range of motion, complications, and reoperations. RESULTS: SA produced similar postoperative pain, range of motion, complications, and reoperations in patients with EDS vs. controls. EDS patients improved pre- to postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain score (6.5 to 1.7, P < .001), elevation (96° to 138°, P = .04), and external rotation (36° to 57°, P = .16). Three EDS patients sustained postoperative complications (2 instability and 1 acromial fracture); however, no shoulder was reoperated. CONCLUSIONS: EDS patients undergoing SA can expect outcomes comparable to patients with primary OA or cuff tear arthropathy, with clinically meaningful improvements in pain and range of motion. Although EDS patients had no statistically significant increase in complications when compared to controls, their absolute rate of overall complications (3/10 patients; 30%) and postoperative instability (2/10 patients; 20%) in this small case series was relatively high and should be considered when performing SA.

Primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty in patients with metabolic syndrome is associated with increased rates of deep infection.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an abnormal physiological condition that has been increasingly identified as a risk factor for complications after orthopedic surgery. Given the lack of information on the effect of MetS in shoulder arthroplasty (SA), this investigation analyzed the rates of postoperative complications and implant survivorship free from reoperation and revision in patients with and without MetS. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2017, data from 4635 adults who underwent a primary SA were collected and classified based on the presence or absence of MetS. MetS was defined as the existence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and a minimum of 2 of the following diagnoses: hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 within 1 year of surgery. Of the 4635 arthroplasties, 714 were performed in patients with MetS (anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty [aTSA] in 289 and reverse shoulder arthroplasty [RSA] in 425) and 3921 were performed in patients without MetS (aTSA in 1736 and RSA in 2185). Demographic characteristics, complications, reoperations, and revision surgery were compared. RESULTS: At a mean of follow-up of 4.5 ± 2.3 years, 67 MetS patients (9.4%) and 343 non-MetS patients (8.7%) had sustained at least 1 postoperative complication (P = .851). Rotator cuff failure was the most common complication overall, with 84 cases (1.8%) (15 MetS cases [2.1%] and 69 non-MetS cases [1.8%], P = .851), and in both MetS and non-MetS patients, followed by infection, with 68 cases (1.2%) (10 MetS cases [1.4%] and 58 non-MetS cases [1.2%], P = .913). For aTSAs, the most common complication was rotator cuff failure (84 shoulders, 1.8%); for RSAs, the most common complication was periprosthetic fracture (52 shoulders, 1.1%). In RSAs, the rates of deep infection (1.9% vs. 0.7%, P = .04), instability (3.1% vs. 1.5%, P = .04), and deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (0.5% vs. 0.3%, P = .03) were found to be significantly higher in patients with MetS than in those without MetS. Reoperations were observed in 36 MetS patients (5%) and 170 non-MetS patients (4.3%) (P = .4). Revisions were performed in 30 MetS patients (4.2%) and 127 non-MetS patients (3.2%) (P = .19). The Kaplan-Meier 5-year rate of survivorship free from reoperation, revision, and prosthetic joint infection was equal between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative diagnosis of MetS in patients undergoing primary SA did not significantly increase the risk of postoperative complications, infection, reoperation, or revision following primary SA. However, in the RSA subgroup, complications were significantly more common in patients with MetS. Individual risk factors may be more appropriate than the umbrella diagnosis of MetS prior to aTSA.

Robotic-Assisted versus Manual Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Crossover Cohort: What Did Patients Prefer?

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty represents an increasingly utilized surgical technology; however, there remains clinical question whether the technique produces improved clinical and patient-reported outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate early clinical outcomes and patient preference of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) versus manual TKA (mTKA) in a direct crossover cohort of patients who underwent consecutive TKAs by each technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review and telephone interview was performed on 36 patients who underwent both rTKA and mTKA by a single surgeon between 2012-2018. Perioperative outcomes-complications/reoperations and patient-preferred technique-were collected with mean clinical follow up of 4.8 and 2.0 years for mTKA and rTKA, respectively. RESULTS: mTKA were performed significantly (p<0.01) more quickly than rTKA, including shorter tourniquet time (56 versus 73 minutes) and total operating room time (93 versus 116 minutes). rTKA patients length of stay (LOS) was significantly (p<0.01) decreased (1.8 days) compared to mTKA (2.3 days). For rTKA and mTKA, respectively, there was no difference in final range of motion (119 versus 122 degrees), Visual Analog Scale (1.6 versus 0.9), or Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Jr (85 versus 87). Twenty (56%) reported rTKA as the preferred technique over mTKA. CONCLUSION: In same patient direct comparison, rTKA required longer operative time but improved LOS compared to mTKA. There was no difference in final outcomes with only slightly more patients preferring rTKA.

In Vivo Mechanical Function of the Distal Radial Ulnar Ligaments During Rotation of the Wrist.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in length of the volar and dorsal radioulnar ligaments (VRULs and DRULs), and the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) space during unweighted and weighted rotation of the wrist using magnetic resonance imaging and biplanar fluoroscopy. METHODS: Fourteen wrists in 7 normal adult volunteers were imaged to define the 3-dimensional geometry of the DRUJ and the insertion sites of the superficial and deep bundles of the VRULs and DRULs. Subjects were imaged at 10 positions of forearm rotation ranging from full pronation to full supination, with or without a 5-pound weight. Lengths of the superficial and deep VRUL and DRUL bundles and DRUJ space were measured (in millimeters) at each position to evaluate ligament function and DRUJ stability. RESULTS: In the unweighted and weighted trials, maximal elongation of both deep and superficial VRUL bundles occurred in supination and maximal lengths of the deep and superficial DRUL bundles occurred in pronation. Maximum DRUJ space occurred during pronation and a minimum occurred in 30° of supination. In weighted trials, there was a significant increase in deep and superficial VRUL bundle length at positions between 30° of pronation and 30° of supination; however, there was no effect of weight on DRULs length. In weighted trials, there was a significant increase in DRUJ space at positions between full pronation and 15° of supination. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates elongation of the VRULs in supination and the DRULs in pronation. There was no evidence of reciprocal loading of superficial/deep ligament bundles on either the dorsal or the volar aspects of the DRUJ. The effect of loading the wrist during rotation was apparent primarily in the VRULs, but not the DRULs. The DRUJ space was lowest at approximately 30° of supination. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results add information to the literature regarding the complicated biomechanics of the triangular fibrocartilage complex and DRUJ. Future work should evaluate changes in biomechanics caused by triangular fibrocartilage complex tears to determine how tear severity and location relate to clinical symptoms.

Scapular and Shoulder Girdle Muscular Anatomy: Its Role in Periscapular Tendon Transfers.

The importance of coordinated, normal scapulothoracic motion in facilitating full, pain-free motion of the shoulder complex has been increasingly studied over the past decade, leading to renewed interest in scapular-based reconstructions to improve shoulder girdle motion through the use of muscle advancements and tendon transfers. This article will review recent advances regarding scapulothoracic motion and the muscular stabilizers of the scapula, focusing on clinical diagnosis and anatomy as it pertains to scapular dyskinesis and common periscapular tendon transfers. Although many of these treatment techniques remain in their infancy and further follow-up is necessary before universal adoption, they provide a novel means of addressing difficult-to-treat and complex shoulder girdle pathologies.

Aneurysmal Bone Cysts of the Hand, Wrist, and Forearm.

PURPOSE: To determine the outcomes of surgical management of aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) in the hand, wrist, and forearm. METHODS: The medical records of 11 patients undergoing surgical treatment of ABCs distal to the elbow from 1994 to 2011 with at least 12 months follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. Mean follow-up was 29 months (range, 13-56 months). There were 7 males and 4 females. Four lesions presented in the radius, 3 in the ulna, 2 in the metacarpals, and 2 in the phalanges. RESULTS: Ten patients underwent wide unroofing and intralesional curettage with 9 undergoing associated high-speed burring. Multiple chemical and thermal adjuvants were used. One patient underwent en bloc resection with reconstruction. There was 1 recurrence in a periphyseal lesion in a 2-year-old boy treated with curettage, burring, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Ten patients incorporated the bone graft and healed without further surgery. One patient required revision bone grafting. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of ABC should remain in the differential diagnosis for cystic lesions in the upper extremity in pediatric and adult patients. Low recurrence has been obtained predominantly with intralesional curettage and high-speed burring with and without chemical and thermal adjuvant therapy. Appropriate healing has been obtained with both allograft and autograft reconstructions. Periarticular and periphyseal lesions remain challenging and provide the highest chance for incomplete resection and recurrence. Follow-up with plain radiographs did not lead to any delay in diagnosis of recurrence in any case.

Arthroscopic treatment of peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears with the deep fibers intact.

PURPOSE: We describe a variant of triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears in which the superficial fibers attaching to the ulnar capsule are torn, with preservation of deep fibers inserting on the fovea. We present the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings and the results of arthroscopic repair in patients with this injury. METHODS: Twenty-nine wrists were treated arthroscopically for peripheral TFCC tears with outside-in suture repair of the TFCC to the ulnar capsule. A retrospective review of all cases was performed to assess the physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, and intraoperative findings. Patients were evaluated at greater than 1 year with range of motion, grip strength, standard outcome measures, and a survey assessing return to work and sports. RESULTS: Before surgery, all patients had complaints of ulnar-sided wrist pain with a stable distal radioulnar joint on examination. Twenty-six wrists (90%) were available for follow-up at a mean of 31 months. There was one repeat surgery, a re-tear that required revision TFCC repair. The preoperative visual analog scale and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores improved from 5 and 38 to 1 and 9, respectively, at final follow-up. Side-to-side comparisons demonstrated no measurable loss in motion or grip strength. There were no cases of distal radioulnar joint instability at final follow-up. Of 11 high-level athletes in the total cohort, 7 (64%) were able to return to sports, including all of those in racquet sports; however, athletes who bore weight through their hands were unable to return to their sporting activity. CONCLUSIONS: Tears of the TFCC superficial fibers with the deep fibers intact present with ulnar-sided wrist pain but without distal radioulnar joint instability. The results of outside-in repair of the articular disk back to the ulnar capsule demonstrated improvement in pain and function with no measurable objective losses. Return to sport was variable and appeared worse for those who bear weight through the hands.