[Review of 10 patients with pure perilunate carpal dislocation at a minimum of 18years follow-up].

Objective: To evaluate, in long-term, the functional abilities and the occurrence of osteoarthritis in patients treated for a posterior perilunate carpal dislocation without bone lesion associated.

Patients and method: This was a monocentric retrospective observational study on patients operated on at the University Hospital of Guadeloupe for a posterior perilunate dislocation without bone lesion associated with a minimum of 18years of follow-up. Ten patients were included with a mean follow-up of 22.8years. The evaluation criteria were clinical (PRWE, QuickDASH, pain, grip strength, wrist joint mobility, Watson and Reagan tests, Cooney functional score) and radiographic (Gilula curves, carpal height, carpal ulnar translation, scapholunate and radiolunar angles, scapholunate and triquetro-lunar interlines in statics and dynamics, Herzberg's classification of complications).

Results: The average Cooney score was 67.5/100. Mean PRWE and QuickDASH scores were 33.9 and 24.8 respectively. The mean flexion-extension arc on the injured side was 71.5° (66.7% compared to the healthy side). Mean grip strength was 27kg (72.8% compared to the healthy side). The prevalence of osteoarthritis was 60%, with three A types, two A1 types, one B type and four B1 types according to Herzberg.

Conclusion: The factors influencing the long-term prognosis are the initial displacement of the lunate, the quality of the reduction and the presence of chronic carpal instability, particularly scapholunate. The high prevalence of osteoarthritis in our series (60%) is apparently not correlated with the functional capacities of patients over the long term.

Level of evidence: 4: