One-Year Outcomes of the Anatomical Front and Back Reconstruction for Scapholunate Dissociation.

Purpose: Anatomical front and back (ANAFAB) reconstruction addresses the critical volar and dorsal ligaments associated with scapholunate dissociation. We hypothesized that patients with symptomatic, chronic, late-stage scapholunate dissociation would demonstrate improvements in all radiographic parameters and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) after ANAFAB reconstruction.
Methods: From 2018 to 2021, 21 ANAFAB reconstructions performed by a single surgeon were followed prospectively, with 20 patients having a minimum follow-up of 12 months. In total, 17 men and four women were included, with an average age of 49 years. Three patients had modified Garcia-Elias stage 3 disease, eight stage 4, seven stage 5, and three stage 7. ANAFAB reconstruction of intrinsic and extrinsic ligament stabilizers was performed using a hybrid synthetic tape/tendon graft in a transosseous reconstruction. Pre- and postoperative radiographic parameters, grip, pinch strength, the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation, PROMIS Upper Extremity Function, and PROMIS Pain Interference outcome measures were compared.
Results: Mean follow-up was 17.9 months (range: 12-38). Radiographic parameters were improved at follow-up, including the following: scapholunate angle (mean 75.3° preoperatively to 69.2°), scapholunate gap (5.9-4.2 mm), dorsal scaphoid translation (1.2-0.2 mm), and radiolunate angle (13.5° to 1.8°). Mean Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation scores for pain and function decreased from 40.6 before surgery to 10.4. We were unable to detect a significant difference in grip or pinch strength or radioscaphoid angle with the numbers tested. There were two minor complications, and two complications required re-operations, one patient who was converted to a proximal row carpectomy for failure of fixation, and one who required tenolysis/arthrolysis for arthrofibrosis.
Conclusions: At 17.9-month average follow-up, radiographic and patient-reported outcome parameters improved after reconstruction of the critical dorsal and volar ligament stabilizers of the proximal carpal row with the ANAFAB technique.
Type of Study/level of Evidence: Therapeutic IV.
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