Scapholunate dissociation

Background

• Caused by rupture of scapholunate ligament
  • Most commonly injured ligament of the wrist
• Injury most commonly occurs from FOOSH

Clinical Features

• Pain/swelling on radial side of wrist
• "Clicking" sensation with wrist movement

Diagnosis

• Imaging
  • A grip compression view or wrist in ulnar deviation may be necessary in addition to PA/lateral views
  • Any of the following signs may be seen:
    • Widening of the scapholunate joint space >3mm
      • Know as Terry-Thomas sign (or David Letterman sign)
    • Rotary subluxation of the scaphoid
      • Lateral view: Scapholunate angle >60 degrees
      • PA view: Cortical ring sign (circular cortex of the bone is more prominent)
    • Dorsal intercalated segment instability
      • Dorsal angulation of lunate relative to radius resulting in capitolunate angle > 20°
      • Seen as loss of the normal collinear arrangement of the capitate, lunate, and radius

Differential Diagnosis

Carpal Dislocations

• Lunotriquetral ligament instability
• Scapholunate dissociation
• Perilunate and lunate dislocations

Carpal fractures

AP view

• Scaphoid fracture
• Lunate fracture
• Triquetrum fracture
• Pisiform fracture
• Trapezium fracture
• Trapezoid fracture
• Capitate fracture
• Hamate fracture

Treatment

• Radial gutter splint or short arm volar posterior mold
• Ortho referral

Images

• Black arrow: Scapholunate joint space widening
• White arrow: Cortical ring sign

• Dorsal intercalated segment instability

Source

• Tintinalli