Triangular Fibrocartilage Tears and Ulnocarpal Impaction

Acute triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears and

ulnocarpal impaction with associated chronic tears of the

TFCC are two of the more common reasons for ulna-sided

wrist pain. The use of the arthroscope as advanced the ability

to diagnose and to treat these conditions. Prior to the wide-

spread use of arthroscopy these conditions were treated with

open surgical procedures. For TFCC tears these included

excision or repair both of which required arthrotomy of the

wrist (1). Ulnocarpal impaction was treated by ulnar shortening

with plate fixation or with open wafer procedure (2-4). As the

tools of arthroscopy have advanced and been made to accom-

modate the wrist joint, it is only natural that clever surgeons

would devise methods to treat these disorders with the arthro-

scope. The arthroscope has allowed surgeons to visualize the

tears of the TFCC better and we now possess the tools to repair

or debride the tears and even resect portions of the ulna head

with minimally-invasive techniques.