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Clinical experience with arthroscopically-assisted repair of peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears in adolescents—technique and results

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to report our preliminary results after arthroscopically-assisted repair of peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears in adolescent patients.

Methods

All children and adolescents who underwent arthroscopically-assisted repair of a Palmer 1B tear were identified and prospectively evaluated after a mean follow-up of 1.3 years. The postoperative assessment included documentation of clinical parameters, pain score (visual analogue scale, VAS), grip strength and completion of validated outcome scores (Modified Mayo Wrist Score, MMWS; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Inventory, DASH). A total of 12 patients (four males, eight females) with a mean age of 16.3 years at the time of surgery were evaluated.

Results

The mean VAS decreased significantly from 7.0 to 1.7 after the procedure. We observed a significant increase of the MMWS after surgery; however, MMWS was still significantly lower at final follow-up when compared to the contralateral side. A mean postoperative DASH score of 16 indicated an excellent outcome after the procedure. DASH Sports and Work Modules showed fair and good overall outcomes in the short-term, respectively. Grip strength averaged 86 % of the contralateral side at final follow-up, with no significant difference being found between both sides.

Conclusions

Arthroscopically-assisted repair of peripheral TFCC tears in adolescents provided predictable pain relief and markedly improved functional outcome scores. Concomitant pathologies may have to be addressed at the same time to eventually achieve a satisfactory outcome. Sports participation, however, may be compromised in the short-term and should therefore be resumed six months postoperatively.

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Ethical approval

This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board, and was performed in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Deformity Correction and Adult Foot and Ankle Surgery, Orthopaedic Hospital Speising, Speisingerstrasse 109, 1130, Vienna, Austria

    Sebastian Farr, Rudolf Ganger & Werner Girsch

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopaedic Hospital Speising, Vienna, Austria

    Ulrike Zechmann

Authors
  1. Sebastian Farr
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  2. Ulrike Zechmann
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  3. Rudolf Ganger
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  4. Werner Girsch
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Correspondence to Sebastian Farr.

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Farr, S., Zechmann, U., Ganger, R. et al. Clinical experience with arthroscopically-assisted repair of peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears in adolescents—technique and results. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 39, 1571–1577 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-015-2795-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-015-2795-6

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