[Carpal ligament lesions associated with fresh distal radius fractures: arthroscopic study of 54 cases].

AIM

Intracarpal ligamentous tears and fractures of the distal radius may have a similar injury mechanism. We performed arthroscopy of the wrist in 54 patients with distal radius fracture to find out the frequency of associated ligamentous tears.

RESULTS

41% of the patients with an extraarticular fracture of the distal radius had at least one severe ligamentous tear of a carpal ligament. In the group of patients with intraarticular fracture we detected ligamentous tears even in 89%. Most frequent were tears of the lunotriquetral ligament.

DISCUSSION

Associated ligamentous tears are more common than expected. These tears may be of importance in the outcome of treatment of distal radius fractures.