Aa. Illarramendi et al., The surgical treatment of Kienbock's disease by radius and ulna metaphyseal core decompression, J HAND S-AM, 26A(2), 2001, pp. 252-260
We present a new surgical procedure, metaphyseal core decompression, to tre
at Kienbock's disease. Twenty-two patients were treated between 1976 and 19
88 and were retrospectively reviewed. Sixteen were male and 6 female with a
n average age of 30 years (range, 18-64 years). The surgical technique invo
lved curettage of the distal radius and ulna metaphyseal bone through small
cortical windows. The average follow-up period was 10 years (range, 6-16 y
ears). No postoperative complications were noted and no patient underwent a
dditional surgical procedure. Sixteen patients were pain-free; 4 noted occa
sional pain. Twenty returned to their prior occupation. One patient had mod
erate pain and altered his occupation. Another had increasing pain and had
x-ray evidence of advanced intercarpal arthritis. The average are of wrist
extension and flexion was 77% of the opposite wrist and the average grip st
rength was 75%. Long-term follow-up monitoring indicates that the metaphyse
al core decompression produces results at least as good as other surgical p
rocedures without any postoperative complications. (J Hand Surg 2001;26A325
2-260. Copyright (C) 2001 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)
.