Ulnocarpal abutment after wrist arthrodesis

We report three patients aged from 22 to 34 years, in whom ulnocarpal abutment developed after wrist arthrodesis. Two were treated by excision of the triquetrum and one by excision of the pisiform. The three patients were seen after wrist fusion because of ulnar wrist pain on forearm rotation, which was relieved by excision of a carpal bone. Two patients had had wrist arthrodesis because of wrist pain resulting from degenerative arthritis and silicone synovitis resulting from silicone rubber replacement of the lunate as treatment for Kienböck's disease. One patient had had a wrist arthrodesis to treat degenerative arthritis after an intra-articular distal radius fracture. The arthrodeses were all done with an A. O. plate and iliac crest bone graft. One patient gained forearm rotation after the excision of the carpal bone and none of the patients lost rotation. The average follow-up was 16 months.