Scapholunate ligamentous communicating defects in symptomatic and asymptomatic wrists: Characteristics

PURPOSE: To determine whether the sizes and locations of scapholunate ligamentous communicating defects are different in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bilateral wrist arthrograms were reviewed for 30 consecutive patients with a history of wrist trauma and unilateral wrist pain who had at least one scapholunate ligamentous communicating defect and unremarkable conventional radiographs. The location and size of each ligamentous defect was recorded. Differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic wrists were analyzed with the chi(2) or Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Most communicating defects in both groups were incomplete and ranged from pinhole size to large. There was a higher frequency of complete disruption in the symptomatic wrists (nine [32%] of 28 wrists) than in the asymptomatic wrists (two [10%] of 20 wrists; P = .092). Communicating defects involved the dorsal portion in 18 (64%) of the 28 symptomatic cases and in five (25%) of the 20 asymptomatic cases (P = .007). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that the demonstration of a complete ligamentous disruption or involvement of the dorsal portion of the ligament may indicate a traumatic cause rather than a degenerative change.