WRIST DISLOCATION

Course overview

CARPAL INSTABILITY REPRESENTS ABOUT 7 TO 10 PERCENT OF ALL REPORTED CARPAL BONE INJURIES. THE MAJORITY OF CARPAL INSTABILITY IS CENTERED AROUND THE LUNATE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WRIST. INJURIES PROGRESS SEQUENTIALLY DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY, FROM SCAPHOLUNATE INSTABILITY TO LUNATE DISLOCATION. PERILUNATE DISLOCATIONS AND LUNATE DISLOCATIONS ARE HIGH-ENERGY WRIST INJURIES INVOLVING FALLS FROM HIGH ELEVATIONS, MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS, OR ATHLETIC INJURIES. THESE INJURIES ARE NOT UNCOMMON AND CAN RESULT IN A MULTITUDE OF COMPLICATIONS. DESPITE THE GREAT FORCE TYPICALLY REQUIRED FOR THESE INJURIES, UP TO 25 PERCENT OF THESE INJURIES ARE MISSED CLINICALLY AND RADIOGRAPHICALLY. PERILUNATE AND LUNATE DISLOCATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FRACTURES ARE TWICE AS PREVALENT AS THOSE WITHOUT FRACTURE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, DIAGNOSIS, AND PRESENTATION OF WRIST DISLOCATIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.