Incidence and diagnosis of 'the double lesion' of the triangular fibrocartilage complex

Outcomes of Operative Treatment of Triangular Fibrocartilage Tears in Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes

BACKGROUND

Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears have been treated with increasing frequency in pediatric and adolescent patients over the past decade. There is little information on these injuries in young athletes and a scarcity of data regarding their ability to return to preinjury levels of athletic participation. The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes of pediatric and adolescent athletes with operatively treated TFCC tears with or without a concurrent ulnar shortening osteotomy and to determine their ability to return to their preoperative level of activity.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who underwent operative treatment of TFCC tears between 2006 and 2012 within one Upper Extremity practice. Patients were included if they were high-level athletes, unable to participate in their sport secondary to wrist pain and desired to return to their sport. All operative patients had imaging studies and clinical findings consistent with TFCC injury as the primary source of their activity-limiting pain and had failed nonoperative management prior to surgery. Patients without at least 3 months of documented postoperative follow up were excluded.

RESULTS

In total, 22 patients were included in the chart review with 20 patients willing to participate in a telephone survey and PODCI. Eighty percent of patients returned to their sport following operative treatment of their injury at an average of 4.8 months. Seven of the 22 patients underwent a concurrent ulnar shortening osteotomy for ulnar positive variance. All 20 patients reported satisfaction with the outcomes of their surgery and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Operative treatment of TFCC injuries in adolescent and pediatric athletes after failure of conservative treatment allowed return to sport at the previous level of participation. Concurrent ulnar shortening osteotomy in the setting of ulnar positive variance did not prohibit return to high-level athletic participation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Dorsal Tear of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex: Clinical Features and Treatment

Background Several different triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear patterns have been classified through the use of wrist arthroscopy. A tear of the dorsal aspect of the TFCC has been previously reported, but it is not included in Palmer original classification. Our purpose was to describe this type of tear pattern along with the clinical presentation. Methods An isolated dorsal TFCC tear was encountered in seven wrists of six patients (three men and three women; average age was 31 years). All patients were evaluated by physical exam, X-ray, plain axial computed tomography with pronation, neutral and supination position, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with coronal, sagittal, and axial section and arthroscopy. Results The clinical findings varied and included the following: tenderness at the dorsoulnar aspect of the wrist was positive in all wrists, fovea sign was positive in five wrists, and tenderness at the dorsal aspect of the distal radioulnar joint was present in one wrist. Pain with forearm rotation was positive in all wrists. The ulnar head ballottement test induced pain in all wrists, whereas dorsal instability of the ulnar head was present in one wrist with this test. The ulnocarpal stress test was positive in five wrists. Axial and sagittal images on MRI revealed the dorsal tear in five wrists. All wrists were treated with an arthroscopic capsular repair. The final functional outcome at an average follow-up of 16.1 months was four excellent and one good wrist according to the modified Mayo wrist score. Conclusions The aim of this article is to describe our experiences with tears involving the dorsal aspect of the TFCC, which may be misdiagnosed if the surgeon is not cognizant of this injury. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic/level IV.