Treatment of Kienböck's disease with scaphotrapezio-trapezoid arthrodesis

The long-term results of 28 cases of Kienböck's disease treated with scaphotrapezio-trapezoid arthrodesis between 1980 and 1990 are presented. The average follow-up period was 51 months. Of these wrists, nine required late lunate excision for pain and limited motion; however, only three patients in the entire series required further wrist salvage procedures (wrist arthrodesis, proximal row carpectomy). At late follow-up examination, range of motion averaged 48 degrees in extension, 52 degrees in flexion, 11 degrees in radial deviation, and 27 degrees in ulnar deviation. Using a subjective pain relief rating scale, patients reported excellent results in 12 cases, good results in 9, fair results in 4, and poor results in 2 (1 case was omitted because of a coexisting different disease).