ISOLATED SCAPHOTRAPEZIOTRAPEZOID OSTEOARTHRITIS - A POSSIBLE RADIOGRAPHIC MARKER OF CHRONIC SCAPHOLUNATE LIGAMENT DISRUPTION

This study was undertaken to describe 'isolated' osteoarthritis of the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid articulation in six patients with chronic sca pholunate ligament disruption. Each patient included for study had sca pholunate ligament disruption with secondary dorsal intercalated segme ntal instability. Secondary volar tilt of the scaphoid appeared to be limited in each case by impaction and development of osteoarthritis at the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid articulation. Isolated osteoarthritis at the scaphotrapeziotrapezoid articulation may accompany chronic scaphol unate ligament disruption, its identification should trigger a search for associated scapholunate ligament disruption in the absence of a kn own systemic arthropathy.