Scapholunate ligament lesion is the most common ligament lesion in the wrist. We assessed the reliability of sonography in detecting it during Watson test. Twenty patients with scapholunate ligament lesion confirmed on MRI and intraoperatively were assessed preoperatively between July 2020 and April 2023. Sonography was performed on the scaphoid dorsal subluxation in wrist neutral and during Watson test and compared with the healthy contralateral side. Dorsal subluxation was measured by two independent investigators and intra- and inter-observer reliability were assessed. We found a significant difference between dorsal subluxation of the scaphoid in the healthy (0.89 mm, SD 0.67 mm) compared to the pathological side (1.67 mm, SD 0.95 mm). Reliability was very good and the standard error of measurement was less than 0.4 mm for all measurements. Sonography during Watson test demonstrated high reliability in diagnosing scapholunate lesions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Background  There is a paucity of information on minimal surgical intervention for the treatment of chronic dynamic scaphoid instability (CDSI) that will achieve an acceptable mid-term result. Purpose  We hypothesize that by following a debride-first-then-wait protocol, some patients with CDSI can be treated with arthroscopic debridement alone and avoid a reconstructive procedure. Patients and Methods  We performed a retrospective, longitudinal study from January 2008 to December 2018 of all patients diagnosed with CDSI and treated with arthroscopic debridement of the scapholunate interosseous ligament. In all cases, a debride-first-then-wait protocol was followed that included a predetermined wait period after arthroscopic debridement, giving the patient a chance to experience possible symptom improvement. This approach integrated the patient\'s perceived wellness into the decision-making process. All wrists that remained symptomatic or experienced recurrence of symptoms were treated with a reconstructive procedure. The wrists were divided into two groups: arthroscopic debridement only (ADO) and reconstructive procedure (RP). Results  Seventy-nine wrists (72 patients) of 191 consecutive wrist arthroscopies met the inclusion criteria. The ADO group consisted of 43 wrists (54%). An average of 6.3 years later (range: 2-11 years), these patients remained satisfied with the results of the arthroscopic debridement and did not want further treatment. The RP group included 36 wrists (46%) with 91.7% of reconstructive surgeries occurring within 6 months of the arthroscopy. With a mid-term follow-up, 75% of Geissler grade II ligament tears, 48% of grade III tears, and 39% of grade IV tears were successfully treated with arthroscopic debridement alone and avoided a reconstructive surgery. Conclusion  By adopting a debride-first-then-wait protocol, some patients with CDSI can be treated with a more limited intervention, arthroscopic debridement. In this series, 54% of wrists with CDSI avoided a reconstructive surgery for an average of 6.3 years. Type of Study / Level of Evidence  Case Series, Level IV.

Purpose  This systematic review summarizes the existing evidence on treatment options and outcomes for partial scapholunate interosseous ligament (pSLIL) injuries. Methods  A systematic electronic search of Medline, Embase, and CINAHL was performed from inception through to February 13, 2022. All primary research articles addressing the treatment of pSLIL tears were eligible for inclusion regardless of timing of surgery, surgical technique, or rehabilitation. The PRISMA Checklist guided the reporting and data abstraction. Descriptive statistics and forest plots are presented. Results  A total of 14 studies with 342 patients were included for analysis. Treatments were categorized into four groups: electrothermal shrinkage (ES), arthroscopic capsuloplasty (AC), open capsulodesis (OC), and no treatment (NT). There were five studies in the ES group ( N  = 69, mean age = 34.3 ± 3.3 years), three studies in the AC group ( N  = 138, mean age = 32.2 ± 3.8 years), five studies in the OC group ( N  = 123, mean age of 30.7 ± 7.8 years), and one study in the NT group ( N  = 12, mean age = 43 years, range = 28-67 years). The average postintervention visual analog scale pain score for the ES group was 1.4 ± 0.5 (from 5.7 ± 1.8), for the AC group was 3.2 ± 1.3 (from 6.6 ± 0), for the OC group was 2.3 ± 2.1 (from 5.6 ± 1.6), and for the NT group was 3.2 (from 7.6). The wrist extension range of motion improved postoperatively for all intervention groups (ES = 66.3°-70.7°; AC = 67°-74.5°; and OC = 48.9°-63.5°), whereas it remained unchanged for the NT group (46°-45°). Grip strength also improved in all intervention groups (ES = 17.9-29.9 kg; AC = 24.0-32.2 kg; and OC = 15.8-26.6 kg), while the NT group remained unchanged (25-24 kg). The radiographic scapholunate gap improved postoperatively in all groups that reported pre- and postintervention (ES = 2.2-1.9 mm; OC = 2.5-1.8 mm) and slightly worsened in the NT group (2.5-2.7 mm). In the ES group, there were three complications (11.5%, no major complications), in the AC group there was one major complication (0.9%, complex regional pain syndrome [CRPS]), and in the OC group there were six complications (15.4%, four major complications-CRPS). Conclusion  All interventional treatment options (ES, AC, and OC) provided significant improvements in patient-reported pain, range of motion, grip strength, and radiographic parameters, with low complication rates. In comparison, no improvement in range of motion or grip strength was noted in the NT group. Therefore, surgical management of pSLIL injuries is an effective and relatively safe treatment option. Further studies comparing the outcomes of specific surgical treatments are warranted to further elucidate the optimal management option for pSLIL tears. Level of Evidence  Level III, systematic review of Level III-IV studies.

Scapholunate interosseous ligament injuries are a major cause of wrist instability and can be difficult to diagnose radiographically. To improve early diagnosis of scapholunate ligament injuries, we compared injury detection between bilateral routine clinical radiographs, static CT, and dynamic four-dimensional CT (4DCT) during wrist flexion-extension and radioulnar deviation. Participants with unilateral scapholunate ligament injuries were recruited to a prospective clinical trial investigating the diagnostic utility of 4DCT imaging for ligamentous wrist injury. Twenty-one participants underwent arthroscopic surgery to confirm scapholunate ligament injury. Arthrokinematics, defined as distributions of interosseous proximities across radioscaphoid and scapholunate articular surfaces at different positions within the motion cycle, were used as CT-derived biomarkers. Preoperative radiographs, static CT, and extrema of 4DCT were compared between uninjured and injured wrists using Wilcoxon signed rank or Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Median interosseous proximities at the scapholunate interval were significantly greater in the injured versus the uninjured wrists at static-neutral and maximum flexion, extension, radial deviation, and ulnar deviation. Mean cumulative distribution functions at the radioscaphoid joint were not significantly different between wrists but were significantly shifted at the scapholunate interval towards increased interosseous proximities in injured versus uninjured wrists in all positions. Median and cumulative distribution scapholunate proximities from static-neutral and 4DCT-derived extrema reflect injury status.

The distribution of motion between the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints in scapholunate instability is poorly understood. This has potential implications in predicting degenerative changes and in selecting salvage procedures. We studied 19 healthy wrists and 19 wrists with scapholunate instability using dynamic computed tomography during wrist extension to flexion and ulnar to radial deviation. Radiocarpal and midcarpal kinematics of the scaphoid and the lunate were computed. In scapholunate instability, in the radial column, there was increased motion in the radiocarpal joint when the wrist was radially deviating beyond 10° or moving from 70° to 40° extension. In both groups, the capitolunate joint was the dominant articulation in the central column. In scapholunate instability, there was significantly more capitolunate motion during 70° to 30° extension. These changes may predict the development of radioscaphoid arthritis and enable identifying a kinematically abnormal wrist. The motion distribution in scapholunate instability was abnormal beyond 10° of radial deviation and between 70° and 40° of wrist extension.Level of evidence: III.

UNASSIGNED: Scapholunate advanced collapse is a rare condition of progressive deformity, instability, and arthritis that affects the radiocarpal and mid-carpal joints of the wrist. It occurs as a result of injury to the scapholunate ligament being left untreated.
UNASSIGNED: We present the imaging of a 50-year-old woman who complained of pain in her right wrist for 2 years. Radiographs of the wrist revealed scapholunate diastasis (Terry Thomas Sign), arthritis of the radio-scaphoid joint, dorsal intercalated segment instability, radial styloid beaking, and proximal migration of capitate. We also demonstrate the measurement of radiological parameters such as scapholunate angle.
UNASSIGNED: A complete in-depth radiological analysis can thus demonstrate several signs that can prevent missed diagnosis. Increased awareness regarding these radiological signs can avoid the unnecessary higher imaging modalities being performed.

This retrospective analysis reports the mid-term (>2 years) outcomes of capsulodesis, (modified) Brunelli tenodesis and bone-ligament-bone reconstruction for scapholunate ligament instability. In total, 60 patients (64 wrists) returned the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaires. Of these participants, 42 (46 wrists) returned for a wrist examination and radiographs. In the questionnaire group, the mean follow-up for capsulodesis was 11.8 years, tenodesis 5.9 years and bone-ligament-bone 8.9 years. In the objective outcomes group, the mean follow-up was 10.2 years for capsulodesis, 5.7 for tenodesis and 8.9 for bone-ligament-bone. In all groups, some patients showed radiographic deterioration, which did not always correlate with poor functional outcome. With a mean follow-up greater than 5 years, there was no substantial difference in clinical outcomes and patient-based outcome questionnaires between capsulodesis, tenodesis or bone-ligament-bone reconstruction for the treatment of scapholunate instability. This study emphasizes the need for further research. Surgeons should use the technique that produces the fewest complications.Level of evidence III.

OBJECTIVE: Dorsal central wrist pain, often a consequence of peri-scapholunate ligament injury, can result in a decline in functional performance. There is a scarcity of clinical data evaluating the effectiveness of conservative management on peri-scapholunate ligament injury. Conservative management includes education, immobilization with orthotic devices, scapholunate-stabilizing muscle strengthening, and proprioception training. The identification of the ligamento-muscular reflex and scapholunate-stabilizing muscles formed the rationale for a rehabilitation training program. We have devised an innovative standardized 16-week treatment program for patients with dorsal central wrist pain associated with acute peri-SL ligament injury. We hypothesized that the program can effectively reduce dorsal wrist pain and improve functional performance.
METHODS: Recruited subjects underwent the 16-week home-based program, which included immobilization and rehabilitation exercises, to improve their wrist stability. Follow-up was arranged every 4 weeks for progress monitoring. The Short-Form 12 item questionnaire version 2, power grip, pinch grip, wrist range of motion, total performance score and total pain score when performing activities of daily living were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. An exercise adherence questionnaire was used to evaluate adherence to the home rehabilitation program.
RESULTS: Twenty-three subjects (26 wrists) completed the program. Pain on visual analog scale improved by 5.1 cm and total pain score improved from 14.4/20 to 19.5/20. Total performance score reached 39/40, which indicated near-normal wrist function. Power grip and pinch grip increased by 22.3% and 17.8%, respectively. The physical component scale of the Short-Form 12 item questionnaire showed significant improvement, while the mental component scale did not. Overall adherence was fair.
CONCLUSIONS: Conservative management, including immobilization and rehabilitation training, can provide significant clinical improvement in patients with dorsal central wrist pain associated with acute peri-scapholunate ligament injury.
CONCLUSIONS: Standardized wrist rehabilitation can be taken as a reference treatment modality. It is an evidence-based non-invasive treatment option for clinicians and therapists.

Multiple techniques exist to reconstruct the scapholunate interosseous ligament, though none have demonstrated superiority. This study compares 1-year radiographic outcomes of the three-ligament tenodesis and the anatomical front and back reconstruction. All patients who underwent reconstruction of their scapholunate interosseous ligament at one institution with either anatomical front and back reconstruction or three-ligament tenodesis between 2011 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. At 52-week follow-up, anatomical front and back reconstruction maintained a statistically significant improvement in scapholunate gap, corrected radiolunate angle and dorsal scaphoid translation, while three-ligament tenodesis demonstrated no sustained improvement in any parameter. The improvement in dorsal scaphoid translation was significantly greater for patients undergoing anatomical front and back reconstruction compared with three-ligament tenodesis at the 16-weeks postoperative timepoint (-1.0 mm, -0.3 mm). Anatomical front and back reconstruction demonstrates sustained improvement in radiographic outcomes at 1 year when compared with three-ligament tenodesis. By addressing both volar and dorsal critical ligament restraints, adoption of anatomical front and back reconstruction for advanced stage scapholunate interosseous ligament injuries should be considered.Level of evidence: IV.

OBJECTIVE: Not diagnosed or mistreated scapholunate ligament (SL) tears represent a frequent cause of degenerative wrist arthritis. A newly developed deep learning (DL)-based automated assessment of the SL distance on radiographs may support clinicians in initial image interpretation.
METHODS: A pre-trained DL algorithm was specifically fine-tuned on static and dynamic dorsopalmar wrist radiography (training data set n = 201) for the automated assessment of the SL distance. Afterwards the DL algorithm was evaluated (evaluation data set n = 364 patients with n = 1604 radiographs) and correlated with results of an experienced human reader and with arthroscopic findings.
RESULTS: The evaluation data set comprised arthroscopically diagnosed SL insufficiency according to Geissler\'s stages 0-4 (56.5%, 2.5%, 5.5%, 7.5%, 28.0%). Diagnostic accuracy of the DL algorithm on dorsopalmar radiography regarding SL integrity was close to that of the human reader (e.g. differentiation of Geissler\'s stages ≤ 2 versus > 2 with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 78% compared to 77% and 80%) with a correlation coefficient of 0.81 (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: A DL algorithm like this might become a valuable tool supporting clinicians\' initial decision making on radiography regarding SL integrity and consequential triage for further patient management.