title: Mid-term clinical outcome of radial shortening for kienbock disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the intermediate-term outcomes of radius shortening as a treatment for Kienbock's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a historical cohort, 16 skeletally mature patients (9 men and 7 women) with Kienbock disease, who were treated with radial shortening osteotomy between 2002 and 2012, were reviewed in our study. The mean age of our patients was 30 (range 18-43) years old. According to Litchman staging, there were 7 wrists at stage II and 9 wrists at stage III (6 at stage IIIA and 3 at stage IIIB). The data of grip strength, pain (visual analog scale (VAS) score), wrist range of motion (ROM), ulnar variance (according to Palmer method), and the Lichtman stage were gathered before and after surgery. We evaluated overall wrist function using the Mayo Wrist score and disabilities of the arm shoulder and hand (DASH) score before surgery and at the last follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average of follow-up was 7 years (range from 5 to 9 years). Preoperative ulnar variance was -1.3 mm (range from 2.5 to 1) preoperatively. The mean postoperative ulnar variance was 1 mm positive (range from 0.5 to 1.5). The VAS pain score, the mean arc of wrist flexion and extension, and grip strength improved significantly preoperatively compared to after recovery from surgery. The Lichtman stage was unchanged in nine patients, one grade worse in six patients, and one grade better in one patient. The mean DASH and Mayo scores improved significantly postoperatively compare with preoperation. Comparing preoperative positive, neuter, and negative ulnar variance, there was no significant difference in terms of VAS, DASH, and Mayo scores as well as ROM and grip strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that radius shortening surgery improves pain and disability regardless of ulnar variance.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran ; Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114 MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran ; Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114 MA, USA.
authors.forename: Amir Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kachooei
keywords: Kienbock's disease; mid-term; radial shortening