Congenital carpal coalition is an uncommon anomaly that results from an incomplete joint cavitation of the primitive carpus. Congenital carpal coalition between the capitate and hamate is generally believed to be asymptomatic and, thus, is usually discovered on radiographs taken for unrelated reasons. We report two cases of congenital carpal coalition (capitate-hamate) associated with pain of the wrist.
Carpal Bones ; Joints ; Wrist

Replantation of a severed limb is an elective procedure and, as such, the decision to carry it out must be assessed anew in each case. The arm is progressively more valuable from shoulder to fingers, the leg, on the contrary, is progressively of less significance. Especially, the replantation of severed hand at the level of carpal bones or wrist joint is technically more difficult than at the level of forearm or arm. We have a successful case of replanted hand at the level of intercarpal joint without bony shortening.
Arm ; Carpal Bones ; Carpal Joints ; Extremities ; Fingers ; Forearm ; Hand ; Leg ; Microsurgery ; Replantation ; Shoulder ; Wrist Joint

Ganglion cysts that arise from the palm and compress the median nerve are rarely reported. Previous studies have described ganglion cysts compressing the motor branch of the median nerve, but no reports have described sensory neuropathy of the common palmar digital nerve as a result of ganglion cysts. We present a case of sensory neuropathy similar to carpal tunnel syndrome caused by a ganglion cyst that originated from the second carpometacarpal joint.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Carpometacarpal Joints ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Median Nerve

Dorsal perilunar dislocations are rare traumatic entities. Associated fractures such as carpal bones and radial styloid processes can occur. However, the dorsal perilunar dislocation associated with dislocation of distal radioulnar joint is extremely rare. The authors herein report the case of a 34-year-old man who was presented with transscaphoidal perilunar dislocation which is associated with dislocation of distal radioulnar joint.
Adult ; Carpal Bones ; Dislocations* ; Humans ; Joints* ; Lunate Bone ; Scaphoid Bone

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate morphological changes of the medial nerve in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) before and after endoscopic release of the transverse carpal ligament, and to correlate the ultrasonography (US) findings with the use of high resolution US and the surgical outcome for the median nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with CTS confirmed by a clinical and electrophysiological study underwent high resolution US. The US instrumentation was equipped with a high frequency linear transducer to measure the cross sectional area, flattening ratio and swelling ratio of the medial nerve at the distal radioulnar joint, proximal and distal carpal tunnel before and three months after surgery. RESULTS: The cross sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve at the distal radioulnar level showed a decrease from 0.13 +/- 0.03 cm2 before surgery to 0.11 +/- 0.03 cm2 after surgery, and the CSA of the proximal carpal tunnel showed a decrease from 0.17 +/- 0.07 cm2 to 0.14 +/- 0.05 cm2; these differences were statistically significant. There was no statistically significant correlation between the morphological change and symptom improvement. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed a decreasing CSA of the medial nerve at the distal radioulnar and proximal carpal tunnel in a postoperative patient with CTS, as determined by the use of high resolution US. No association was found between a change in the CSA of the median nerve and symptom improvement. A further study based on multiple measurements of the median nerve with a longer period is necessary to establish the association between a change in the CSA of the median nerve and symptom improvement.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Humans ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Median Nerve ; Transducers

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical and radiological results of SCHT(scapho-capito-hamato-triquetral) fusion in Lichtman stage IIIB or IV Kienbock's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The result of eight cases, operated and followed since December 2002, were analyzed retrospectively. The indication of SCHT fusion was the advanced Kienbock's disease, in Lichtman stage IIIB or IV, with severe fragmentation of lunate. The fragmented lunate was excised and the intercarpal joint between scaphoid and capitate, capitate and hamate, hamate and triquetrum were fused with joint resection, bone graft and multiple K-wires, to make an horse-shoeshaped carpal bone block. The clinical results were evaluated by wrist pain, ROM, any radiologic changes of wrist at last follow-up and Kuschner's method. RESULTS: There were 3 cases of Stage IIIB and 5 cases of stage IV. Mean follow-up period was 28.9 (range 15-53) months, and mean age at the time of operation was 49.4 (range 33~66) years. Two cases were minus ulnar variance, 4 cases were positive and 2 cases were neutral. The wrist range of motion was decreased from 121.8degreesto 90.6degrees(25%). Carpal height ratio was decreased in 1 case. The last follow-up results according to Kuschner's method revealed 4 excellent, 3 good and 1 fair. CONCLUSIONS: SCHT fustion was considered as one of the favorable salvage procedure for the advanced Kienbock's disease. However, biomechanical study using cadaver, long-term follow-up & accumulation of more cases would be needed to confirm its definitive usefulness in the future.
Cadaver ; Carpal Bones ; Carpal Joints ; Follow-Up Studies ; Joints ; Osteonecrosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants ; Wrist

Distal radius fractures are commonly associated with intra-articular injuries such as carpal ligament injuries and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries. Such injuries occurring in elderly patients with a low-energy distal radius fracture can be treated successfully with cast immobilization and do not usually lead to clinical problems. However, despite healing of the fracture, some intra-articular injuries, especially in active patients with a high-energy fracture, can result in persistent pain and disability. In addition, the current trend of internal fixation and early use of the wrist may actually increase instability due to inadequate healing of the ligament injuries. Due to a lack of typical symptoms and physical findings in acute fracture settings, detection of these injuries is not easy. Arthroscopic examination, as well as radiographs and intraoperative fluoroscopic findings, are useful in detection of carpal ligament injuries. Complete ruptures of intercarpal interosseous ligaments warrant temporary interosseous fixation using K-wires. In TFCC injuries, distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability should be assessed after anatomical reduction and fixation of a distal radius fracture. Operative treatments such as open or arthroscopic repair of TFCC to the fovea can guarantee greater stability of the DRUJ. For optimal results, early detection and appropriate treatment of intra-articular injuries associated with distal radius fractures is critical.
Aged ; Carpal Joints ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Radius ; Radius Fractures ; Rupture ; Triangular Fibrocartilage ; Wrist ; Wrist Injuries

We evaluated the morphologic changes that follow division of transverse carpal ligament in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome using high resolution sonography. Twenty hands of 10 patients underwent high- resolution ultrasonographic studies before the operation and 8 months after the operation. They were all diagnosed as bilateral idiopathic CTS. We evaluated the configuration of the median nerve and carpal tunnel at different three levels of the wrist; the distal radiocarpal joint level, the pisiform level, and the hook of hamate level. The median nerve remarkably gained its thickness at distal two levels after the operation. The morphology of carpal tunnel has also changed at distal levels. Increase in the anteroposterior diameter at distal two levels was obvious, but the cross sectional area of the carpal tunnel was increased significantly only at the hook of hamate level. The transverse diameters of the carpal tunnel were not significantly changed. As above, we found that the median nerve gained its volume significantly at distal part of carpal tunnel postoperatively, and the volumetric increase of carpal tunnel would have resulted from an anterior displacement of newly formed transverse carpal ligament and not from a widening of the bony carpal arch.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Median Nerve ; Ultrasonography* ; Wrist

The author reviewed 148 cases of phalangeal and metacarpal fractures of the hand, excluding distal phalangeal and carpal bones, in 75 patients treated at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dong-Kang Hospital, from January, 1984 to December, 1987. We obtained the following results ; 1. Better results were obtained in younger patients, transveres or spiral fractures, and cases immobilized in MP joint flexion. 2. Factors that led to worse results included older age, comminuted fracture, wide displacement, intra articular fracture, associated tendon injury, intraarticular pin placement. 3.In case of K-wire fixation, dorsal placement of the wire revealed better result than volar one.
Carpal Bones ; Clinical Study ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Tendon Injuries

In the fractures and dislocations of the carpus, prompt and accurate diagnosis is the prime prerequisite for restoring function to this most complicated joint in the body. And then, early precise reduction and continuous maintenance of the reduced position until ligamentous and bone healing is complete provide the best chance of achieving a satisfactory restoration of function. We analysed forty five cases of fractures and dislocations of the carpus which were treated for 5 years from Jan. 1984 to Dec. 1988 at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University. The following results were obtained; l. Of the total 45 injuries, scaphoid fractures were seen in 32(71.1%), other carpal bone fractures except scaphoid in 13 patients(28.9%), and carpal bone dislocation and fracture- dislocations in 11 patients(24.4%). 2. Carpal scaphoid fracture 1) 19 of the 32 patients(59.4%) had an associated ipsilateral upper extremity injury. 2) This fracture was common in the young male. 3) A union rate(95.6%) was achieved using a usual conservative treatment for undisplaced racture(14), operative treatment for displaced(18). 4) The mean time to radiological union for all fractures was 11.1 weeks. Old fracture by SotoHall classification took the longest time to union(18.2 weeks), subacute fracture 13 weeks, and acute fracture 9 weeks. 5) 10 cases were treated for nonunion, 5 of 10 nonunions were classified as type (50%). 2 cases showed ultimately nonunion in spite of various sorts of treatment, which belonged to waist fracture. 3. Other carpal bone fractures except scaphoid were seen in 13(15 bones) of 45 injuries, and pisiform(4) and triquetrum(4) fractures were common. 4. Carpal dislocation and fracture-dislocations were seen in 11 of the 45 injuries and dorsal transscaphoid perilunate dislocations(4) were common. These were treated by C.R. and cast immobilization or O.R. and K-wire fixation relatively good results were obtained.
Carpal Bones ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Upper Extremity