gms | German Medical Science

14th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT)

17.06. - 21.06.2019, Berlin

Biomechanical testing of the transosseous fixation of the distal radioulnar ligament

Meeting Abstract

  • presenting/speaker Christian Spies - Abteilung für Handchirurgie, Vulpius Klinik, Bad Rappenau, Germany
  • Johannes Oppermann - Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Köln, Germany
  • Anja Niehoff - Institut für Biomechanik und Orthopädie, Köln, Germany
  • Lars P. Müller - Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Köln, Germany
  • Martin Langer - Abteilung für Unfall-, Hand- und Wiederherstellungschirurgie, Münster, Germany
  • Peter Hahn - Abteilung für Handchirurgie, Vulpius Klinik, Bad Rappenau, Germany
  • Frank Unglaub - Abteilung für Handchirurgie, Vulpius Klinik, Bad Rappenau, Germany

International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy. 14th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT). Berlin, 17.-21.06.2019. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2020. DocIFSSH19-24

doi: 10.3205/19ifssh1122, urn:nbn:de:0183-19ifssh11228

Published: February 6, 2020

© 2020 Spies et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. See license information at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.


Outline

Text

Objectives/Interrogation: We hypothesized that the re-fixation of the deep and superficial fibres of the distal radioulnar ligaments provide improved stability compared to reconstruction of the deep fibres alone.

Methods: Fourteen fresh-frozen cadaver upper extremities were used for biomechanical testing. Transosseous refixation of the deep fibres of the distal radioulnar ligaments alone (single mattress suture group; n = 7) was compared to the transosseous reattachment of the deep and superficial fibres (double mattress suture group; n = 7). Cyclic load application provoked palmar translation of the radius with respect to the rigidly affixed ulna. Creep, stiffness, and hysteresis were obtained from the load-deformation curves, respectively. Testing was done in neutral forearm rotation, 60° pronation, and 60° supination.

Results and Conclusions: The refixation techniques did not differ significantly regarding the viscoelastic parameters creep, hysteresis, and stiffness. Several significant differences of one cycle to the consecutive one within each refixation group could be detected especially for creep and hysteresis. No significant differences between the different forearm positions could be detected for each viscoelastic parameter.

The refixation techniques did not differ significantly regarding creep, hysteresis, and stiffness. This means that the additional reattachment of the superficial fibres may not provide greater stability to the DRUJ. Bearing in mind that the study was a cadaver examination with a limited number of specimens we may suppose that the reattachment of the superficial fibres seem to be unnecessary. A gradual decline of creep and hysteresis from first to last loading-unloading cycle is to be expected and typical of ligaments which are viscoelastic.