Scapholunate ligament disruption

Case contributed by Andrew Murphy
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Ongoing pain in the wrist with associated symptoms of a scapholunate ligament injury post distal radius volar plate insertion.

Patient Data

Age: 30 years
Gender: Female

Clenched fist views

x-ray

Asymmetric widening of the right scapholunate interval, right 3 mm, left 1 mm. 

A needle was inserted into the right radioscaphoid joint. Iodinated contrast mixed with gadolinium was injected into the right radioscaphoid joint. The contrast extended into the mid carpal joints suggesting a disruption of the scapholunate ligament. The patient was then sent to MRI.

Full-thickness tear of the volar and membranous bands of the scapholunate ligament with intact dorsal band, associated moderate dorsal tilt of the lunate plus mild rotation of the scaphoid.

 

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