Diagnostic Wrist Arthroscopy for Nonspecific Wrist Pain.
Background:This study addresses the prevalence of discrete pathophysiology accounting for patients' symptoms during diagnostic wrist arthroscopy in individuals with wrist pain without a specific preoperative diagnosis. Secondarily, we determined the number and type of surgeries subsequent to diagnostic wrist arthroscopy.Methods:Between January 2000 and January 2015, 135 diagnostic wrist arthroscopies were performed by 12 surgeons in 3 urban academic hospitals. We recorded the diagnostic findings of diagnostic wrist arthroscopy and any subsequent surgeries.Results:One hundred and five patients had synovitis or a normal wrist (78%), 17 had likely age-appropriate changes (eg, central triangular fibrocartilage complex defects scapholunate changes) (13%), 8 (6%) were given uncommon diagnoses, and 5 (4%) had osteochondral defects. Sixteen patients (12%) had subsequent wrist surgery: 2 were for adverse events, 2 were carpal tunnel releases, and 12 were other surgeries.Conclusion:Diagnostic arthroscopy performed in the setting of an unclear preoperative diagnosis yielded limited diagnostic benefit.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Amin
A
Mohamadi
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Femke M A P
FM
Claessen
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Sezai
S
Ozkan
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Gregory P
GP
Kolovich
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; The University of Texas at Austin, USA.
David
D
Ring
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Neal C
NC
Chen
D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013585:Synovitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D051478:Triangular Fibrocartilage / Q000473:pathology; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000601:surgery
arthralgia; arthroscopy; diagnosis; diagnostic arthroscopy; pain; wrist