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Scapholunate dissociation associated with distal radius fractures

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Abstract

Objective

The exact prevalence of scapholunate dissociation (SLD) associated with distal radius fracture (DRF) and the effect of persistent SLD on the function of the wrist are not known. So, we examined the association between SLD and DRF and the effects of treatment on clinical outcomes.

Methods

Eight hundred and twenty-nine patients with 839 DRF were included in the study. The radiographs of the patients were examined with special reference to SLD both in pre- and post-reduction period. Persistent SLD cases were evaluated by the scoring system of Green and O’Brien at least 2 years after the fracture.

Results

Of the 839 fractures, 215 had SLD after the injury. When post-reduction radiographs were examined, SLD persisted in 98, but in 14 SLD was detected in the post-reduction period while not apparent in initial radiographs. So, a total of 112 patients (13.4 %) had persistent SLD. Nineteen patients were lost to follow-up and remaining 93 wrists examined clinically. Seventy-nine had pain on the scapholunate joint and 14 had not. When these patients were evaluated by Green and O’Brien system, symptomatic patients had fair or poor results but asymptomatic had good. The association between DRF and SLD is 13.4 %.

Conclusions

Severity of the distal radius fractures is not associated with SLD. Intra-articular fractures were associated with significant increase in the prevalence of SLD. In some cases, SLD may appear after reduction in distal radius. Most cases with SLD are symptomatic, and this may be the reason of poor cases following distal radius fracture.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, 35340, Balcova, Izmir, Turkey

    Izge Gunal

  2. Department of Radiology, Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, 35340, Balcova, Izmir, Turkey

    Dinc Ozaksoy

  3. Department of Orthopedics, Izmir Training and Research Hospital, 35170, Bozyaka, Izmir, Turkey

    Taskin Altay

  4. Department of Orthopedics, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Medicine, Basin Sitesi, 35360, Izmir, Turkey

    Ismail Safa Satoglu, Cemal Kazimoglu & Muhittin Sener

Authors
  1. Izge Gunal
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  2. Dinc Ozaksoy
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  3. Taskin Altay
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  4. Ismail Safa Satoglu
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  5. Cemal Kazimoglu
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  6. Muhittin Sener
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cemal Kazimoglu.

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Gunal, I., Ozaksoy, D., Altay, T. et al. Scapholunate dissociation associated with distal radius fractures. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 23, 877–881 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-012-1093-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-012-1093-x

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