ARTHROSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF LIGAMENT LESIONS OF THE WRIST

144 patients with post-traumatic wrist pain but normal standard radiog raphs were examined by wrist arthroscopy. Ligamentous lesions were obs erved in 75 patients. TFCC lesions, classified according to the Palmer classification and including lunato-triquetral interosseous ligament lesions, were seen in 61, and scapho-lunate interosseous ligament lesi ons in 14 patients, Degenerative TFCC changes were equally common in p atients younger than 40 years of age but significantly more common wit h more than 2 years duration of symptoms. Varying degrees of instabili ty were noted in patients with scapho-lunate interosseous ligament les ions but no associated ligament lesions were observed. Because of the variety of pathological changes arthroscopy is recommended in the mana gement of patients with post-traumatic wrist pain.