Arthroscopic Diagnosis and Treatment of Wrist Disorders

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 1998;3(2):249-255.
Published online January 1, 1998.

Kwan Hee Lee,Sung Dae Kim,Seok Myun Ko

관절경을 이용한 완관절 질환의 진단 및 치료

이관희,김성대,고석면

Abstract

Total 24 cases of wrist arthroscopies were done to evaluate the necessities of this procedure for the diagnosis and treatment of wrist disorders during the period from June, 1996 to February, 1998. The patients were operated with their permission after a certain period of conservative treatment and the explanation of the procedure. After traction of wrist with chinese finger trap, 2.7 mm arthroscopy was inserted through conventional entry portal. The final diagnosis of the patients were as follows: 9 degenerative arthritises, 9 triangular fibrocartilage(TFCC) tears, 3 distal radius fractures, 2 perilunar dislocations and 1 normal finding. Diagnostic accuracy for problem wrist was about 95%. Arthroscopic resection and currettage were done for the treatment of the diseases according to the pathology of the patients. Green and O'Brien scale was used for the evaluation of functional recovery. Most of the patients with TFCC tear were satisfactory with partial resection of the teared fibrocartilage and unexpected high rate of pain free wrist was observed in degenerative arthritis patients immediately after the arthrocopic currettage. We draw to the conclusion that the wrist arthroscopy is useful for the diagnosis and the treatment of problem wrist patients and even for degenerative arthritis patients.