THE RELEVANCE OF LIGAMENT TEARS OR PERFORATIONS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF WRIST PAIN - AN ARTHROGRAPHIC STUDY

This study was designed to assess the clinical significance of arthrog raphic abnormalities in the ligaments of a painful wrist. This was acc omplished by means of comparison arthrography of the asymptomatic wris t. Fifty-six consecutive patients with unilateral wrist pain underwent selective bilateral arthrography to assess interruptions of continuit y of the triangular fibrocartilage, lunotriquetral, and scapholunate l igaments. The prevalence of bilaterally symmetric lesions was high. In patients with ligament defects in the symptomatic wrist, 88% of defec ts near the radial attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage, 59% of lunotriquetral defects, and 57% of scapholunate defects were bilatera l. Furthermore, physical examination was not predictive of specific li gament defects. This study raises questions concerning the relevance o f interrupted ligaments in the diagnosis of wrist pain.