This study demonstrates that patients with scaphoid waist fractures who undergo surgery with a compression screw may be able to return to unrestricted activity with 50% partial healing.
A 73-year-old woman presented with a 12-month history of a tender first dorsal extensor compartment of her right wrist along with swelling which extended proximally. Caring for her grandchildren exacerbated her pain, and rest relieved it. Over a 2-month period, two injections and splint immobilization failed to provide pain relief and swelling reduction. An ultrasound showed anomalous muscles within the first dorsal extensor compartment. Surgical release of the first compartment showed the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons flanked by muscles within an inflamed sheath. Releasing the compartment resulted in complete pain relief. Anatomic variations within the first dorsal extensor compartment have been reported, but there has been no report on double anomalous muscles within the compartment. The details of the case, utility of ultrasound, and a brief review of the literature are described.
Introduction: Perilunate dislocations are rare high-energy injuries, and the diagnosis is not infrequently missed at initial presentation. The combination of fractures resulting in a trans-styloid, trans-scaphoid, and trans-triquetral perilunate fracture dislocation is extremely rare. Early recognition and diagnosis of these injuries is prudent to restore patient function and prevent morbidity. This injury pattern may progress through several distinct phases often involving the greater or lesser arc. The injury begins with traumatic disruption of the scapholunate joint, followed by an ordered progression of injury to the capitolunate, lunotriquetral, and radiolunate joints. When the radiolunate joint is disrupted, the lunate often dislocates volar transposing into the carpal tunnel, associated with median nerve compression. These injuries have the potential to cause lifelong disability of the wrist. Early treatment may prevent or lessen the chance of median neuropathy, post-traumatic wrist arthrosis, chronic instability, and fracture nonunion. Non-operative treatment is not indicated and is associated with poor functional outcomes and recurrent dislocation. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with ligamentous repair after emergent closed reduction and splinting is indicated for acute injuries (<8 weeks after injury).
Case Report: We report a case of a 48-year-old right hand dominant male with a trans-styloid, trans-scaphoid, trans-triquetral, and perilunate dislocation after mechanical fall from height. He was evaluated in the ER and provisionally treated with closed reduction and splinting. ORIF of scaphoid, radial styloid, and triquetrum was performed, with ligamentous repair of the scapholunate joint and carpal tunnel decompression.
Conclusion: The combination of fractures/injuries in this case has been very rarely been published in case reports to date. It is necessary to recognize these wrist injuries. Great detail should be given to physical and radiog
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