CARPAL LIGAMENT INSTABILITY

Course overview

CARPAL INSTABILITY SECONDARY TO LIGAMENTOUS DISRUPTION IS A BROAD, COMPLEX TOPIC THAT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF CAUSES. CARPAL INSTABILITY MUST BE DIFFERENTIATED FROM CARPAL MISALIGNMENT. WITH CARPAL MISALIGNMENT, THE CARPUS MAY SHOW DEVIATION FROM NORMAL RADIOGRAPHIC ALIGNMENT, BUT THE JOINTS WILL REMAIN STABLE WHEN LOADED UNDER PHYSIOLOGIC CONDITIONS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL COVER THE TWO MOST COMMON CARPAL INSTABILITIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE CHRONIC COMPLICATIONS: SCAPHOLUNATE DISSOCIATION, LUNOTRIQUETRAL DISSOCIATION, DORSAL INTERCALATED SEGMENT INSTABILITY (DISI), AND VOLAR INTERCALATED SEGMENT INSTABILITY (VISI). THIS ARTICLE WILL HIGHLIGHT ANATOMY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH CARPAL INSTABILITY.