This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by SAFFAR, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by SAFFAR, P. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Radio-Lunate Arthrodesis for Distal Radial Intraarticular Malunion

From the Institut Français de Chirurgie de la Main, Paris, France

Correspondence: P. Saffar, Institut Français de Chirurgie de la Main, 47 avenue Paul Doumer, 75116 Paris, France.

Eleven cases of symptomatic distal radial intraarticular malunion were treated by radio-lunate arthrodesis from 1983 to 1991. The mean age was 35.3 years. There were 11 men, all manual workers. The mechanism was usually a high velocity injury. The time elapsed since injury was a mean 23 months (2–109 months).

The range of motion was, on average, flexion 39°, extension 27°, radial deviation 10° and ulnar deviation 20°. Pain was present on light work and grip strength was 45% of the opposite side. The average step-off was 4.4 mm. The scapho-lunate gap was greater than 3 mm in three cases and 5 mm in one case. An ulnar translation of the carpus greater than 4 mm was present in four cases. Posterior subluxation was significant in three cases. The distal radio-ulnar joint (DRUJ) was totally destroyed in three cases, and incongruent in five.

Radio-lunate arthrodesis is performed by a posterior approach. Other procedures were combined, mainly on the DRUJ.

The average follow-up was 28.5 months (8–79 months). Healing was achieved in ten out of 11 cases in 45 to 90 days. Pain was absent or moderate after 4 months. The range of motion was 33° in flexion, 39° in extension, 17° in radial deviation and 29° in ulnar deviation. The average post-operative strength was 57% of the opposite side (19 kg/33). Eight patients returned to their previous work and two to lighter work.

Journal of Hand Surgery (British and European Volume), Vol. 21, No. 1, 14-20 (1996)
DOI: 10.1016/S0266-7681(96)80005-2


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?