Dorsal Wrist Ganglia: Influence of Arthroscopic Dorsal Capsulodesis – A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background Dorsal wrist ganglia are the commonest soft tissue tumor in the upper extremity. Management with arthroscopic excision yields good results and few complications, but recurrence is still a matter of concern. Purpose To address the influence of dorsal capsulodesis in postoperative results. Patients and Methods Two groups with eight patients each were evaluated: group A – simple arthroscopic resection (SAR), and group B – arthroscopic resection combined with dorsal capsulodesis (ARDC). Results The mean age of group A was of 36.10 ± 7.96 (range: 28–53) years, and that of group B was of 34.17 ± 29.60 (range 18–44) years. The duration of the follow-up was of 30.67 ± 13.90 (range: 13.45–53.55) months and 29.60 ± 16.80 (range 12.68–62.13) months, respectively. Both groups achieved a a significant decrease in the postoperative score on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (of around 2/10), and the scores on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire were below 5/100. All the functional parameters (range of motion and strength) were above 80% on the contralateral side, with no differences between groups. More than 75% of the patients were completely satisfied. Group A (37.5%) had a significantly higher recurrence rate than that of group B (12.5%). Conclusions In conclusion, SAR and ARDC provided good clinical results, with no significant differences. Dorsal capsulodesis resulted in an important decrease in the recurrence rate. Level of Evidence Level III (Retrospective Comparative Study).