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The Motec cementless modular metal-on-metal ball-and-socket wrist arthroplasty was implanted in 16 wrists with scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC; grades 3 or 4) and 14 wrists with scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) in 30 patients (20 men) with severe (grades 3 or 4) post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the wrist. The mean age of the patients was 52 years (31 to 71). All prostheses integrated well radiologically. At a mean follow-up of 3.2 years (1.1 to 6.1) no luxation or implant breakage occurred. Two wrists were converted to an arthrodesis for persistent pain. Loosening occurred in one further wrist at five years post-operatively. The remainder demonstrated close bone-implant contact. The clinical results were good, with markedly decreased Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and pain scores, and increased movement and grip strength. No patient used analgesics and most had returned to work. Good short-term function was achieved using this wrist arthroplasty in a high-demand group of patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Scaphoid injury and subsequent non-union is a well documented and researched subject. This article gives an overview of the epidemiology and results of the patients we have treated for scaphoid non-union at a University Hospital. 283 scaphoid non-unions in 268 patients (83% men) were operated upon, 230 as a primary and 47 as a secondary. The median age at time of surgery was 27 years. One-third of the non-unions were located in the proximal part of the scaphoid and the remaining two-thirds in the middle part. Of the 146 patients (55%) who contacted a doctor at the time of injury, 53 fractures where diagnosed (20%). Fourteen (5%) were operated primarily while 39 (15%) (seven dislocated) were immobilized in plaster casts. Thirty-two (12%) were under the age of 16 at the time of injury. The average time from the injury to the initial non-union surgery was 1.5 years with 2.8 years to the second procedure. The risk of osteoarthritis increased time from injury to surgery (both primary and secondary procedures). The greatest potential for the reduction of scaphoid non-union is an increased awareness amongst younger men. There is also potential for improved accuracy in the diagnosis of scaphoid fractures (better clinical tests, the use of radiographs, CTs and MRIs) in order to identify the fracture and evaluate dislocation at the initial injury. Early diagnosis and treatment of fractures and non-unions will reduce the development of degenerative wrist changes.

IV.

Aims Plate and screw fixation has been the standard treatment for painful conditions of the wrist in non-rheumatoid patients in recent decades. We investigated the complications, re-operations, and final outcome in a consecutive series of patients who underwent wrist arthrodesis for non-inflammatory arthritis. Patients and Methods A total of 76 patients, including 53 men and 23 women, with a mean age of 50 years (21 to 79) underwent wrist arthrodesis. Complications and re-operations were recorded. At a mean follow-up of 11 years (2 to 18), 63 patients completed questionnaires, and 57 attended for clinical and radiological assessment. Results Of the 76 patients, 46 (60.5%) had complications, resulting in 65 re-operations, mainly related to the plate and screws. In the 63 patients who completed the questionnaires, the mean Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score was 36 (0 to 91), the mean Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation (PRWHE) score was 40 (0 to 96), and 14 patients (22%) reported no wrist pain. Grip strength, pinch strength, and pronation and supination were significantly reduced compared with the contralateral forearm. The outcome was worse in patients who had previously undergone surgery to the wrist, and those with complications. A total of 13 are awaiting further re-operations, giving a total re-operation rate of 63% (40/63). Conclusion We observed complications and re-operations throughout the follow-up period and therefore consider wrist arthrodesis to be more complicated than previously assumed. Many of the patients never got used to or accepted their stiff wrists and reported a substantial reduction in function and residual pain. Motion-sparing surgery should be offered prior to wrist arthrodesis. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:852–859.

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Pulseless arms after repositioning of dislocated supracondylar humeral fractures are a medical emergency. After open release and, if necessary, microvascular reconstruction of vessels and nerves, fracture reduction, and fixation, excellent clinical long-term outcome can be expected. The procedure can be carried out with a low rate of complications.