[Ulnar-carpal impingement after fractures of the distal radius]

The authors describe the group of 23 patients (16 women, 7 men), who were operated during 2000-2003 on ulna-carpal impingement or the syndrome of ulna impact on the basis of "plus variant" of ulna or also "long ulna". There was a fracture of distal radius in anamnesis of all these patients. The condition was solved in 18 patients (mean age 51 years) by reducing the ulna by 4.5 cm on the average (range 2-10 mm). In five patients (mean age 49 years), the radius-ulna desis sec. Sauvé-Kapandij was performed. The results are evaluated with the time lapse of 6 months on the average (range 3-26). The resulting evaluation indicates that in all patients, who were not affected by radius-ulna arthrosis, a simple reduction of ulna resulted in an improvement of the extent of movements and improved subjective complaints. Patients with radius-ulna arthrosis, where the ulna-carpal impingement was solved by radius-ulna desis, suffer from worse long-term functional results. The authors also analyze complications of the interventions. Posttraumatic deformations in the area of distal forearm should be solved early before degenerative changes develop. The is the only way how to expect good results of the operation and favorable effect for the patient.