ABSTRACT
The incidence of distal radioulnar joint instability following a distal radius fracture is estimated around one in three based upon clinical examination. Using a validated rig, we objectively measured distal radioulnar joint translation in vivo following distal radius fracture. Dorsopalmar translation of the distal radioulnar joint was measured in 50 adults with previous distal radius fractures. Measurements were compared with the uninjured wrist and against a database of previous measurements within healthy and clinically lax populations. Translation at the distal radioulnar joint was greater in injured wrists at 12.2 mm (range 10-15, SD 1.2) than the uninjured wrists at 6.4 (range 4-9, SD 0.8) (p < 0.001) and was always outside the established normal range. There was no statistically significant link between translation and the severity of the injury. Instability appears almost inevitable following a distal radius (wrist) fracture, albeit subclinical in the vast majority.
Subject(s)
Joint Instability , Radius Fractures , Adult , Humans , Joint Instability/etiology , Physical Examination , Radius , Radius Fractures/complications , Radius Fractures/diagnostic imaging , Wrist JointSubject(s)
Fractures, Bone , Fractures, Malunited , Metacarpal Bones , Radius Fractures , Fractures, Bone/diagnostic imaging , Fractures, Bone/surgery , Fractures, Malunited/diagnostic imaging , Fractures, Malunited/surgery , Humans , Metacarpal Bones/diagnostic imaging , Metacarpal Bones/surgery , OsteotomyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Swan-neck deformity is a common problem particularly in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis. Mobile swan-neck deformities (Nalebuff types I,II) can be treated non-operatively and operatively. In this paper we report on a systematic review of the treatment of swan-neck deformities with volar tenodesis. METHODS: We performed a literature search and analysed the literature according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only eight papers were eligible. None was of high quality. The data reporting was very variable. Therefore, no meta-analysis could be performed, but only a descriptive analysis. RESULTS: The techniques work in preventing proximal inter-phalangeal joint hyperextension between 60 and 100% in these studies. There appears to be some recurrence of hyper-extension with time so that papers with longer follow-up tend to have poorer results. CONCLUSIONS: There is no good evidence that one technique is superior to another. The choice of technique is likely to remain based on surgeon preference for the foreseeable future. Future studies should be at least comparative and preferably part of a trial.
