How long does an ulnar osteotomy take to heal?
How long does an ulnar osteotomy take to heal?
Downtime: With this injury, you are in the long arm splint for 6 weeks and then it is shortened and this is worn for approximately 4 more weeks depending on your healing. You will not be able to use your hand post-surgery for any work or self-care tasks for 6-8 weeks depending on the type of work you are returning to.
How long is the incision for ulnar shortening osteotomy?
Make an 8-cm longitudinal skin incision slightly volar along the distal third of the ulna.
What is an ulnar shortening osteotomy?
Ulnar shortening osteotomy (USO) is a procedure performed to alleviate ulnar sided wrist pain caused by ulnar impaction syndrome (UIS) and/or triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injury. Presently, non-union rates for ulnar shortening osteotomy is quoted to be 0–18% in the literature.
How do they shorten the ulna bone?
This involves cutting the ulna bone in the forearm, removing a thin slice of the bone and then pulling the two pieces of bone together and fixing them with a plate and screws. This shortens the ulna compared to the radius and so reduces the amount of load going through the ulnar side of the wrist after the operation.
Should I have ulnar shortening surgery?
The surgery is recommended for those patients who have ulnar (outside) wrist pain and injury that is not responsive to conservative therapy (1). The rationale is that by shortening the length of the ulna bone you reduce the pressure and therefore the pain in the wrist.
Is ulnar shortening worth it?
Ulnar Shortening Osteotomy and its Complications Over time this pain can reduce grip strength, causes numbness or pain, and reduce the range of motion of the wrist to nil. If these complications become severe and conventional treatment options do not help, doctors will typically recommend ulnar shortening surgery.
Why would you need ulnar shortening?
What happens when your ulna bone is too long?
Ulnar impaction syndrome is a condition in which one of the forearm bones (ulna) is too long relative to the other (radius). This results in excessive pressure on the ulnar side of the wrist and causes pain, and wear and tear.
What is darrach resection?
Darrach’s procedure or distal ulna resection is a surgical technique for the surgical removal of the head of ulna. It is performed in cases of radial–ulnar joint pain and instability. The styloid process and muscular attachments are left intact. Weakness and instability can develop after the procedure.
What happens if your ulna is longer than your radius?
When the ulna is longer than the radius, known as ulnar positive variance, the TFCC is subjected to increased loads and risk of injury. Initial treatment involves relative rest with a short arm splint or cast and anti-inflammatory medications.
What does positive ulnar variance mean?
Positive ulnar variance describes where the distal articular surface of the ulna is more distal when compared to the articular surface of the radius. It plays important role in wrist pathology such as ulnar impaction syndromes and thinning of the triangular fibrocartilage complex.
What is abutment syndrome?
Ulnar impaction syndrome, also called ulnocarpal abutment syndrome, is a common cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. It is a degenerative condition in which the ulnar head abuts the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) and ulnar-sided carpals.
How many patients have successful ulnar shortening osteotomy?
Several studies have reported a high percentage of success with ulnar shortening osteotomy. 20 30 37 38 39 Combining the results using standard technique and equipment, 79 of 90 patients (88%) achieved good or excellent results regarding pain relief and recovery of function, with only one nonunion (1%).
Can a non-union of a cut bone occur after surgery?
Non-union of the cut bone ends. The bone ends not healing together after this surgery can occur in up to 10% of patients. If a non-union does occur it may well require further surgery. Plate irritation. This is a nuisance and up to 25% of pa tients will find the plate irritates the overlying tissues in the longer term.
What kind of osteotomy to do for ulnar wrist pain?
Treatment algorithm for ulnar wrist pain. USO: ulnar shortening osteotomy, TFCC: triangular fibrocartilage complex, DRUJ: distal radioulnar joint.
Which is the best treatment for ulnar impaction syndrome?
This procedure has been the standard treatment for ulnar impaction syndrome for many years. Recent biomechanical studies have confirmed that an ulnar shortening osteotomy can improve the stability of the ulnar carpus and distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ).
