Sauvé-kapandji procedure with limited wrist fusion for disorders of the distal radioulnar joint in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract EN

Background : The wrist is affected in as many as 95 % of patients who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Involvement of the distal radioulnar joint leads to dorsal dislocation of the ulnar head that can cause pain, weakness, decreased forearm rotation, and rupture of the extensor tendons.

When there is arthritis of the radiocarpal joint the problem become worthy.

Aim : to assess the results of Sauvé-Kapandji procedure with limited wrist fusion in improving the wrist function in patients with RA.

Patients and Methods: This operation was performed in seventeen wrists in seventeen consecutive patients with RA in whom Sauvé-Kapandji procedure was done in the inferior radioulnar joint with limited radiolunate fusion.

Results: fifteen patients had no pain in the region of the distal radioulnar joint.

Osseous union was achieved in all cases.

The average time to osseous union was 8.7 weeks.

The visual analog scores decreased from a mean of 7.2 before the operation to 2.0 after the operation (p < 0.01).

Conclusion : Sauvé-Kapandji procedure with limited wrist fusion significantly improves the wrist functions in patients with RA.