gms | German Medical Science

Objectives/Interrogation: Analyze the functional and subjective outcome of patients with posttraumatic Distal Radioulnar Joint (DRUJ) instability treated with dorsal Capsuloplasty.

Methods: We have re-examined 8 patients with chronic posttraumatic instability of the DRUJ who have been operated with a Dorsal Capsuloplasty and reinsertion of the Triangular Fibrocartilage. Their ages varied between 23 and 57, with an average of 42. The duration of the symptoms before surgery varied from 2 to 18 months. Only patients with at least 1 year after surgery were included. We have assessed subjective issues like pain, instability and satisfaction. In the objective assessment we carried out the physical examination of the wrist and potential complications from the surgery.

Results:

All of the patients reported relieve from the pain. Three patients reported local pain for a few months after immobilization and 4 patients reported paresthesia in the dorso-ulnar region of the hand. However, in every case, the symptoms improved before the re-examination for this study, in which all of the patients examined were operated more than 1 year before. In all of the patients the range of the pronosupination motion was normal, although 3 of them have noted that the region of the head of the Ulna was still a bit more protuberant when compared with the contralateral side. Nevertheless, these patients had no complaints. They have all reported not having the previous instability symptoms anymore and have resumed the activities they performed before the trauma, and also, they have all mentioned being satisfied with the treatment. Four patients are high level amateur tennis players that are satisfied with being back to their sport activity.

Conclusion: The Capsuloplasty of the DRUJ for chronic instability of such articulation is an efficient surgical procedure with few complications.