Case report: revision of failed Sauvé-Kapandji procedure with an ulnar head prosthesis

The Sauvé-Kapandji procedure has been developed in order to solve distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) disorders. Postoperative results are variable. Complications such as painful ulnar stump, ulnar instability and loss of grip strength have often been described. We report the case of a painful ulnar stump instability resulting from a Sauvé-Kapandji procedure. After several attempted salvage procedures, a custom-made Herbert distal ulnar head prosthesis was implanted. Long-term results showed complete pain relief, improvement of the range of motion and satisfactory grip strength recovery. Our findings confirm that the Herbert custom-made ulnar head prosthesis appear to be a reliable salvage solution for failed Sauvé-Kapandji procedures.