Adnan Kara1, Haluk Celik2, Mujdat Bankaoglu3, Yunus Oc4, Murat Bulbul1, Tahir Sadık Sugun5. 1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey. 2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Zonguldak Ataturk State Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey. Electronic address: drhalukcelik@gmail.com. 3. Department of Radiology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. 4. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. 5. Hand Microsurgery Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EMOT) Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate with ultrasound the thickness of the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon and its relationship to the volar locking plate after the fixation of distal radius fractures. METHODS: We evaluated 27 type C2 and C3 distal radius fractures with ultrasound to evaluate damage to the FPL tendon after volar plate fixation. The thickness of the FPL tendon and its distance to the volar plate in the involved wrists and to the volar rim in the contralateral uninjured wrist were measured on sonograms taken 12 months postoperatively. Measurements of the involved wrists were compared with those of the intact wrists. RESULTS: The mean plate-tendon distance in the involved wrist was considerably shorter than the mean volar rim-tendon distance in the intact wrist, and the FPL tendon was considerably thicker in the involved wrist than in the intact wrist. CONCLUSIONS: In distal radial fractures treated with volar locking plates, increases in the thickness of the FPL tendon and a consequent decrease in the distance between the tendon and the plate can be determined with ultrasonography. This finding is a warning that asymptomatic tenosynovitis may eventually cause tendon ruptures. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic IV.
PURPOSE: To evaluate with ultrasound the thickness of the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon and its relationship to the volar locking plate after the fixation of distal radius fractures. METHODS: We evaluated 27 type C2 and C3 distal radius fractures with ultrasound to evaluate damage to the FPL tendon after volar plate fixation. The thickness of the FPL tendon and its distance to the volar plate in the involved wrists and to the volar rim in the contralateral uninjured wrist were measured on sonograms taken 12 months postoperatively. Measurements of the involved wrists were compared with those of the intact wrists. RESULTS: The mean plate-tendon distance in the involved wrist was considerably shorter than the mean volar rim-tendon distance in the intact wrist, and the FPL tendon was considerably thicker in the involved wrist than in the intact wrist. CONCLUSIONS: In distal radial fractures treated with volar locking plates, increases in the thickness of the FPL tendon and a consequent decrease in the distance between the tendon and the plate can be determined with ultrasonography. This finding is a warning that asymptomatic tenosynovitis may eventually cause tendon ruptures. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic IV.
Authors: Luca Maria Sconfienza; Domenico Albano; Georgina Allen; Alberto Bazzocchi; Bianca Bignotti; Vito Chianca; Fernando Facal de Castro; Elena E Drakonaki; Elena Gallardo; Jan Gielen; Andrea Sabine Klauser; Carlo Martinoli; Giovanni Mauri; Eugene McNally; Carmelo Messina; Rebeca Mirón Mombiela; Davide Orlandi; Athena Plagou; Magdalena Posadzy; Rosa de la Puente; Monique Reijnierse; Federica Rossi; Saulius Rutkauskas; Ziga Snoj; Jelena Vucetic; David Wilson; Alberto Stefano Tagliafico Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2018-06-06 Impact factor: 5.315