• Ault DL
• Mann DJ
• Troutner AM
• Kettner NW

• Adult
• Affiliation / Logan University. Chiropractic Health Centers
• Affiliation / Logan University. Department of Radiology
• Affiliation(G) / United States / Missouri / Chesterfield
• Arthritis / diagnosis
• Male
• Open Access Document
• Ultrasonography
• Wrist Injuries

Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe a patient with scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) of the wrist.

Clinical Features: A 38-year-old man presented to a chiropractic teaching clinic with right wrist pain after falling off of the tailgate of a truck 7 years prior. The mechanism of injury was a fall on an outstretched hand. Ultrasonography and radiography were performed, which demonstrated abnormal lunate kinematics and scapholunate interval diastasis associated with a clenched-fist maneuver. These findings were consistent with SLAC.

Intervention and Outcome: Following the diagnosis of SLAC, the wrist was splinted. Conservative care consisting of physical therapy included paraffin dips, therapeutic ultrasound, and stretching. The patient received only minimal alleviation of pain, and a surgical consultation was obtained. The patient elected surgical intervention, utilizing the proximal row carpectomy procedure.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates a patient with chronic wrist pain, with progression to carpal instability, which ultimately manifested as SLAC. We demonstrate, utilizing multiple imaging modalities, both preoperative and postoperative findings. To our knowledge, this is the first case to describe the use of diagnostic ultrasonography in the evaluation of the proximal row carpectomy procedure.

Author keywords: Wrist; Trauma; Ultrasonography

Author affiliations: DLA, NWK: Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, Missouri; DJM, AMT: Chiropractic Health Centers, Logan University, Chesterfield, Missouri

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher; click on the above link for free full text. PubMed Record