Dorsal Intercarpal Ligament Tears: An Arthroscopic Classification and Clinical Outcomes Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hand and Wrist Surgery
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• The dorsal intercarpal (DIC) ligament is crucial for carpal stability.
• Isolated DIC ligament injuries are uncommon but can result from avulsion or chronic attenuation.
• Previous work detailed the first isolated DIC ligament avulsion and its arthroscopic repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an arthroscopic classification system for DIC ligament complex injuries.
• To evaluate the outcomes of arthroscopic repair for DIC ligament tears in a larger patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 16 patients undergoing arthroscopic DIC ligament repair (2018-2022).
• Intraoperative findings were used to develop a DIC ligament tear classification.
• Pre- and postoperative assessments included range of motion, grip strength, VAS pain scores, and QuickDASH outcomes.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in wrist flexion, extension, grip strength, VAS pain scores, and QuickDASH scores at a mean 17.8-month follow-up.
• 25% of patients had isolated DIC ligament tears, while 75% had associated intercarpal ligament injuries.

Conclusions:

• The DIC ligament plays a vital role in maintaining carpal stability.
• An arthroscopic classification system for DIC ligament lesions is proposed.
• Surgical management strategies for various DIC ligament tear types were discussed.