Arthroscopically Assisted Ligamentoplasty for Axial and Dorsal Reconstruction of the Scapholunate Ligament

Abstract

Scapholunate (SL) ligament injury is among the most common injuries of the intrinsic ligaments of the carpus. Arthroscopic treatment in complete and nonacute injuries has had poor results. These cases have typically been treated using open surgical techniques that require a broad dorsal approach and produce soft tissue impairment, which leads to reduced wrist mobility. The development of wrist arthroscopy techniques has allowed the treatment of complete and nonacute injuries of the SL ligament, without the disadvantages of open surgery, respecting the soft tissues and avoiding injury of the posterior interosseous nerve, in an attempt to preserve the proprioception of the wrist and the secondary dorsal stabilizers. This arthroscopically assisted technique reconstructs the SL ligament using a tendon graft placed between the scaphoid and lunate and complemented by the reconstruction of the dorsal portion of the SL ligament, with the aim of creating an axial and dorsal tendinous ligamentoplasty between both bones.