[Diseases of the pisiform bone]

Isolated diseases of the os pisiforme is seldom described in the literature. Since 1973 wehave seen 7 patients with typical signs: pain at the region of pisiform, increased by dorsiflexion and radial deviations of the wrist and by compressing the pisiform in the palmar-dorsal plane. The diagnosis of pisiform disease is based on clinical and X-ray examination and followed by histological study after operation. Five of the seven patients came to operation for the following disorder: local, circumscribed chondrosis, chondromatosis of flexor carpi ulnaris with osteochondromatosis, atrophy of the pisiform and in the two cases aseptic osteonecrosis. After partial resection of the pisiform, once combined with Z-shaped lengthening of the tendon of Flexor carpi ulnaris or complete enucleation of the bone all patients were free of discomfort and remained so.