Wrist arthroscopy: appraisal and perspective

Wrist arthroscopy is a relatively recent procedure because it was described in the 1970's. During the first period of 1980's it became an indisputable technique of diagnosis. Since the 1990's many therapeutic procedure were described by several authors all over the world. This technique increase a lot the understanding of wrist pathologies and ameliorate significantly the results for patients. We report our experience about 2000 wrist arthroscopy between 1998 and 2011. The patients were always operated on outpatient basis under local regional anaesthesiology. The arm was laid on the table and the hand on in-line traction (5-7 kg). We used a 2.4 mm arthroscope, 30 degrees angled. The both joints, radiocarpal and midcarpal, were systematically explored. The small portals were not closed. In our experience, only 42 arthroscopies (4%) were without surgical procedure. We separated the indications in five chapters: arthoscopic assistance for fractures treatment (distal radius and scaphoid: 11%); treatment of intrinsic ligaments tears 38% (TFCC tears: 22%, scapholunate ligament tears: 21%); treatment of wrist arthritis (radial styloidectomy, wafer, partial protshesis: 15%); resection of wrist ganglion cyst (18%); others techniques (arthrolysis, synovectomy, partial arthrodesis, etc.: 16%)