Salvage of failed resection arthroplasties of the distal radioulnar joint using a new ulnar head prosthesis

Twenty-three patients with painful instability following total or partial r esection of the ulnar head were treated using a new ulnar head prosthesis c ombined with a simple soft tissue repair. Stability and marked symptomatic improvement were achieved in all patients. With a mean follow-up period of 27 months, this improvement has been maintained in all but 1 patient, whose prosthesis had to be removed because of a low-grade infection. These resul ts suggest that the use of a prosthesis is a satisfactory way to restore st ability and relieve secondary symptoms that may be associated with partial or total excision of the ulnar head. (J Hand Surg 2000;25A:438-446. Copyrig ht (C) 2000 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.).