Postoperative Imaging of the Wrist and Hand

In this article we will do an overview of the general and specific complications that occur after the most common wrist and hand surgeries. Knowledge of the different surgical techniques is essential for postoperative imaging evaluation. General complications include infection, complex regional pain syndrome, problems related with the surgical approach (open or arthroscopic) and bone healing problems. The most frequent fractures of the wrist with specific complications are distal radius fractures and scaphoid fractures as associated with tendon ruptures secondary to friction, nonunion or secondary malignment. We will briefly review the different approaches for triangular fibrocartilage injuries, including acute and degenerative lesions. Scapholunate instability is the most common instability and an important indication for surgery with pin fixation in the acute setting and arthroplasty or arthrodesis in the chronic irreparable injuries. One of the most common surgeries of the wrist is carpal tunnel release, although complications are uncommon, radiologists should be familiar with the normal appearance and pathological changes after surgery. Trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis is frequent especially in postmenopausal women and has several treatment options depending on the stage.