Ulnocarpal impaction syndrome: treatment with a transverse ulnar shortening osteotomy from an ulnodorsal approach

• Published in: Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery 2014-06, Vol.134 (6), p.881-885
• Main Authors: Lautenbach, Martin, Millrose, Michael, Schmidt, Nicole-Simone, Zach, Alexander, Eichenauer, Frank, Eisenschenk, Andreas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chronic Pain - etiology; Chronic Pain - surgery; Female; Handsurgery; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Osteotomy - methods; Radiography; Retrospective Studies; Ulna - diagnostic imaging; Ulna - surgery; Wrist Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Wrist Injuries - surgery; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0936-8051; 1434-3916
• DOI: 10.1007/s00402-014-1976-x

Introduction Ulnocarpal impaction syndrome is a common cause of chronic ulnar-sided wrist pain. The distal ulnar shortening osteotomy addresses the often present positive ulnar variance and therefore relieves the excessive load on the ulnocarpal joint. In the present study, the results of a technique that uses an ulnodorsal approach with a compression device and a transverse osteotomy are presented and compared to other techniques. Materials and methods This retrospective study includes 92 wrists with an ulnocarpal impaction syndrome, which were treated with an ulnar shortening osteotomy. The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 50 months. Results The mean ulnar variance was 2.17 ± 1.56 mm preoperatively and after the ulnar shortening osteotomy −1.36 ± 1.67 mm ( p