title: The beauty of stability: distal radioulnar joint stability in arthroscopic triangular fibrocartilage complex repair.
abstract: The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) has an important role in the stability of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) stability. We designed a new method of TFCC tear repair that has satisfactory post-operative DRUJ stability. From May 2004 to August 2010, 14 patients who underwent this operation were reviewed. The average post-operative follow-up period was 8.2 months; 66.7% of the patients with TFCC tear in sigmoid notch had clinical DRUJ instability, while only 50% of tear in fovea and 16.7% of tear in base of ulnar styloid had clinical DRUJ instability. Transosseous suture via inside-outside technique was used for repair. At the final follow-up, all 14 patients have soft end point with < 5 mm translations of the DRUJ shown by the stress test. Based on this small sample with satisfactory outcome assessed by the Mayo modified wrist score and DRUJ stability, we recommend TFCC tear in sigmoid notch, which has a higher chance of DRUJ instability, to be repaired by transosseous suture.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. medic.chris.tang@gmail.com
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Tang
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Fung
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Chan
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Fok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011884:Radius / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D051478:Triangular Fibrocartilage / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014457:Ulna / Q000601:surgery*; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult