DENERVATION OF THE RADIOCARPAL JOINT - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY IN 22 PATIENTS

Denervation surgery has been a mainstay of our management of chronic p ain in the wrist, If there is useful movement at the wrist we prefer d enervation to arthrodesis. We have reviewed 22 patients at a mean of 5 0 months after such denervation surgery at the wrist. This was the onl y treatment in 16 patients; the other six also had other treatments. P ain was reduced in 16 patients, and 17 were satisfied or improved. Non e of the patients wished to have a supplementary arthrodesis. We stres s the importance of preoperative blockade tests and of a very detailed knowledge of the local anatomy.