COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING AO ASIF WRIST ARTHRODESIS/

Seventy-three wrist arthrodeses (71 patients) using AO/ASIF dorsal pla te fixation and iliac crest bone graft were retrospectively reviewed t o assess complications of th is technique. There were 82 complications in 50 wrists. Nonunion of the radius to the carpus did not occur. For ty-five of the complications were related to the soft tissues; 29 were bone or articular complications. Chronic unexplained pain represented 8 of the complications. Overall, 63 of the 82 complications resolved. Nineteen wrists required additional surgery, most frequently for plat e removal. Eighteen wrists were left with one or more residual difficu lties after fusion. Thus, 55 of the wrist arthrodeses ultimately resul ted in a stable, pain-free wrist.