Proximal row carpectomy for posttraumatic disorders of the carpus

Twenty-four patients (23 men and one woman) from 19 to 65 years old underwent proximal row carpectomy following carpal injuries. The injuries were 10 transscaphoid perilunate dislocations with late subluxation and arthritis, 10 ununited scaphoid fractures with arthritis, three scapholunate dissociations with arthritis, and one acute carpal dislocation. All were followed for from 3 to 10 years. Although the result depended on the original injury, wrist extension was 65% to 70% of normal, flexion was 48% to 65%, ulnar deviation 85 1/2, and radial deviation 17%. Grip strength was equal to that in the opposite hand. There was one failure that was converted to a successful fusion.