Radiographic changes in wrists with ulnar plus variance observed over a ten-year period.

This study provides additional radiographic information concerning the long-term effect of ulnar impingement. Films of 198 wrists of 102 patients with vibration disease observed over ten or more years were reviewed. All the wrists showed ulnar plus variance of more than 0 mm except seven. Degenerative changes were found in 58 wrists and were seen only on the ulnar side of the wrist, especially in the ulnoproximal area of the lunate. Most of the degenerative changes in the wrists with ulnar plus variance had progressed or changed during the ten or more years. Ulnar plus variance may play an important role in inducing or causing progression of degenerative change in the wrist.