Anatomical and safety considerations in establishing portals used for wrist arthroscopy.

Eight portals are used for wrist arthroscopy, five for the radiocarpal joint and three for the midcarpal space. These portals pass between important vessels and cutaneous nerves and the extensor tendons underlying the extensor retinaculum and permit access to the common pathologies of the wrist joints. The portals can be safely established making precise use of the external landmarks and are associated with little soft tissue damage and few complications when performed gently and through the dorsal side of the wrist.