Treatment and Postsurgery Functional Outcome of Spaghetti Wrist

Background The outcomes of treating severe wrist injuries are not well understood and despite their complexity and prevalence, particularly among young adults, spaghetti wrist is rarely investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the postsurgery, functional outcome of spaghetti wrist injuries. Material and Methods In this prospective cross-sectional study, 153 patients with spaghetti wrist injuries were followed up for approximately 20 months and were assessed regarding returning to work and postsurgical functional outcomes that included tendon functionality, opposition, intrinsic function, deformity, sensation, and grip strength. Results The mean age was 28.3 ± 5 years. The most common cause of injury was glass window panes and bottles. Moreover, the most commonly involved structures were the tendons of flexor digitorum superficialis 3, 4, and 5. During the follow-up, the tendon functionality in 120 (78%), opposition in 115 (75.1%), and intrinsic function in 62 (40.5%) were "excellent." Hand sensation was "fair" in 75 patients (49.1%), "good" in 46 patients (30%), and "excellent" in 28 patients (18.3%). The average return time to activities of daily living was 10 months. Conclusion In this study, worse outcomes were seen in older patients and those with higher number of damaged structures (especially nerves).