Wrist pain: a systematic approach to diagnosis.

Numerous radiographic procedures are now available to help determine the cause of wrist pain. This paper presents a wrist-pain algorithm that defines the relative roles of various radiographic techniques in the evaluation of patients with wrist pain. Practical application of the algorithm is demonstrated through illustrative cases.

Coincident rupture of the scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligaments without perilunate dislocation: pathomechanics and management.

Wrist injuries causing coincident disruptions of the scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligaments commonly result in perilunate dislocations. This article (1) describes our management of eight patients with wrist pain after coincident scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligament disruptions in the absence of perilunate dislocation; and (2) reports the results of biomechanical testing of some of the extrinsic and intrinsic wrist ligament and interprets these data to explain the injury seen clinically. The diagnosis of ligament failure was made on the basis of history, physical examination, arthrography and surgical exploration. Surgical treatment of seven patients consisted of concomitant scapho-trapezio-trapezoid fusion and lunotriquetral fusion. Three of seven patients were free of pain, two had pain only at the extremes of motion, and two required additional surgery. Biomechanical analysis of the scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligaments and two extrinsic wrist ligaments, the radiolunotriquetral and the radioscaphocapitate, confirmed the clinical suspicion that the intrinsic ligaments could be completely disrupted while the extrinsics are only partially injured. Such a scenario could account for the residual stability that prevents the development of perilunate dislocations. Coincident disruption of the scapholunate and lunotriquetral ligaments in the absence of perilunate dislocation is an unusual injury. Treatment with lunotriquetral fusion and scapho-trapezio-trapezoid fusion restored functional use in five of seven wrists while maintaining wrist motion.

Management of chronic lunotriquetral ligament tears.

Treatment of chronic disruptions of the lunotriquetral (LT) ligament is not well-defined. Eleven patients treated by LT fusion with use of a compression screw are reported. The injury frequently resulted from hyperextension of the wrist. Pain on the ulnar side of the wrist, limited motion, and tenderness over the LT joint exacerbated by ballottement were present. Standard radiographs were normal. Arthrography showed the ligamentous tear in all cases. After operation, immobilization was continued until fusion was apparent radiographically. Fusion was achieved in all cases between 2 and 5 months. Four patients were free of pain, four patients had pain only at the extremes of motion, and three patients had persistent pain. Mean wrist motion was as follows (preoperative/postoperative): flexion (53 degrees/45 degrees), extension (60 degrees/49 degrees), radial deviation (17 degrees/21 degrees), and ulnar deviation (25 degrees/18 degrees). Maximum grip strength as a percentage of the uninjured side was 73% preoperatively and 59% postoperatively. LT tears can exist de novo or as part of the ulnar impaction syndrome; a method for differentiation is presented.

Role of radionuclide imaging in the evaluation of wrist pain.

The cause of hand and wrist pain can be difficult to determine, especially when standard radiographs are normal or show only nonspecific changes. This study reports the effectiveness of radionuclide imaging in the evaluation of patients with hand and wrist pain of uncertain cause. Eighty-eight patients with hand and wrist pain and initially normal standard radiographs were evaluated prospectively by additional radiographic methods including the following: routine tomography, wrist arthrography, computerized tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging. Each patient also had bone scintigraphy. The diagnosis established by clinical assessment and by other imaging methods was then compared with the scintigraphic findings. The presence or absence of focal scintigraphic abnormalities correlated with the presence or absence of focal pathology definable by the conventional methods in 88% of patients. As expected, scintigraphy was chiefly of value in defining the locus of an injury or other process in the wrist, rather than the nature of an abnormality. The scintigrams were abnormal in 95% of cases involving complete intrinsic ligament ruptures and fractures and were normal in 96% of patients with no definable injury. Scintigraphic findings correlated poorly with partial intrinsic ligament injuries and in cases of synovitis. Radionuclide imaging is a sensitive means of detecting focal lesions in patients with hand and wrist pain of unknown cause.

Arthrographic surface anatomy of the carpal triangular fibrocartilage complex.

In a review of 364 radiocarpal and 123 distal radioulnar joint arthrograms we identified 44 (12%) patients with contrast defects at either the proximal or distal surface of the carpal triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). Differences in their arthrographic characteristics distinguished two separate groups of patients; one with similar and another with dissimilar appearing TFCC surface contrast collections. Thirty-one of our 44 patients had similar appearing, isolated radial-sided collections at either the proximal or distal TFCC surfaces. Our arthrographic, demographic, and historical study of these patients suggests that the collections are not caused by traumatic partial TFCC tears but represent a normal anatomic variant, probably a synovial recess at the radial TFCC attachment. Arthrography and dissection of a limited number of cadaveric specimens confirmed this conclusion. The second group included the remaining 13 patients. This group had contrast collections at either the proximal or distal TFCC surface, which varied in location and appearance. This smaller group is more likely to represent those uncommon patients with partial TFCC defects caused by tears.

Digital ischemia of the upper extremity: a systematic approach for evaluation and treatment.

Symptomatic upper extremity digital ischemia is an uncommon disorder reflecting diverse etiologies. Herein we present an algorithm to aid in evaluation and treatment of digital ischemia. This approach seeks to establish the diagnosis and lead to appropriate treatment while minimizing testing and therapy. Practical application of the algorithm is demonstrated through illustrative cases.