Outcome in TFCC repair using micro anchor and trans‑osseous technique

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is an intrinsic stabiliser of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ), which serves an important role in wrist movement, forearm rotation and grip strength. A stable DRUJ is a key requirement for pain-free movement of the wrist. TFCC tears are a common ulnar-sided wrist pain associated with decreased grip strength and impaired function. TFCC tears are classified according to the location and cause. The Palmer classification delineates tears into traumatic type 1 and degenerative type 2. The present study investigated the clinical outcomes of using micro suture anchors in open repair in comparison with trans-osseous TFCC repair. From July 2017 to July 2020, 51 patients underwent open repair of TFCC tear by hand and upper limb surgeons in Royal Rehabilitation Center at King Hussein Medical Center (Amman, Jordan). Stability of DRUJ and tenderness at the ulnar aspect of the wrist were evaluated by Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Modified Mayo Wrist Score (MMWS) pre- and post-operatively. A total of 38 patients (27 male and 11 females) underwent open repair using micro suture anchors and 13 (7 male and 6 female) by trans-osseous repair. A total of 51 patients in the follow-up 6-48 months had significant improvement in pain and range of motion. A total of 45 patients showed improved grip strength and were pain-free; six patients showed improvement of grip strength and decreased pain. For the patients who underwent TFCC repair by micro suture anchors, there was an improvement of MMWS from 70 to 90%, and for those who underwent TFCC repair by trans-osseous technique, MMWS improved from 65 to 85%. There was also significant improvement in DASH score post-operatively with both techniques, from 60 to 15% in the trans-osseous technique and from 70 to 15% in the suture anchors. Open repair of TFCC tears using either micro anchor or trans-osseous repair led to pain-free range of motion, improved grip strength, stable DRUJ and improvement in DASH and MMWS scores, with no significant differences in clinical outcome between techniques.