Management of complex dislocations of the distal radioulnar joint

The authors reviewed their experience in the treatment of complex dislocations of the distal radioulnar joint. Six cases of complex dislocations were treated between 1990 and 1993. An algorithm for the treatment of these injuries has been developed. In most cases, complex dislocations are associated with an avulsion fracture of the ulnar styloid. The authors prefer to treat these by fixation of the ulnar styloid using a tension band wiring technique. Cases in which the ulnar styloid fragment is small, or in which there is no styloid fracture, are treated with open reduction and repair of the triangular fibrocartilage complex if the distal radioulnar joint is irreducible, or by ulnoradial transfixion pinning if the distal radioulnar joint is reducible but unstable. Good results were obtained in five of six cases using this algorithm.