Distal radioulnar joint dorsal instability treated with dorsal capsular reconstruction

Six patients with post-traumatic distal radioulnar joint dorsal instability were treated with dorsal capsular reconstruction. This new technique of reconstruction requires less extensive dissection than the previously described methods in the literature and requires no tendon graft. A total of six patients treated from 1999 to 2001 were included in this study. Two were males and four were females. The average age of patients was 30 years and all the instabilities were secondary to trauma. One of them had associated minimally displaced distal radius fracture. All patients had arthrogram and arthroscopy done before the reconstruction and had no significant triangular fibrocartilage complex injury. The surgery consisted of duplication capsulorrhaphy of the dorsal capsular structures of the distal radioulnar joint. All patients had satisfactory results after the operations in terms of pain relief, range of motion and stability.