[Antelunar dislocation of the wrist. Apropos of 3 cases]

Volar perilunar dislocation of the carpus is rare. We report three cases here. The patients were 18, 23 and 31 years of age. The etiology was a traffic accident in all cases and palmar hyperflexion of the wrist was noted in all three. Palmar dislocation was associated with a scaphoid fracture in two cases. In the third case, there was an associated fracture of the radial styloid and capitate. The patients were operated on after a delay of 48 h in two cases and four weeks in one. The dorsal approach was used in two cases and the palmar approach in the other. Reduction, fracture osteosynthesis and intracarpal temporary arthrodesis were the main lines of treatment. The functional result evaluated after a minimum of eight months' follow-up was good in two cases, and acceptable in one (Green and O'Brien score). Volar perilunar dislocation is often associated with fracture of a carpal bone, mainly the scaphoid. It occurs in young men, after a violent injury. Polytrauma is often associated. Closed reduction is attempted first but open reduction is often needed because of instability of the lesion. The functional result is good if the treatment restores carpal bone congruence.