Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical results of a proximal row carpectomy with an average 15-year follow-up for the primary treatment of advanced-stage (Lichtman IIIA and IIIB) Kienböck's disease. This study is a follow-up to a paper by the senior author in a similar cohort of patients where the clinical results of a proximal row carpectomy were evaluated for the treatment of advanced-stage Kienböck's disease at an average 3-year follow-up.
Methods: Seventeen patients with a minimum of 10 years of follow-up were identified who met criteria for inclusion. Thirteen of these patients were located and agreed to participate. Patients were seen, examined, and queried regarding their wrists. Range of motion, grip strength, and subjective patient satisfaction were all obtained and quantified using a clinical outcomes scale.
Results: Twelve of 13 patients demonstrated excellent or good results based on the clinical outcomes scale used (5 excellent, 7 good, 1 fair, and none poor). Total arc of motion averaged 73% of the uninvolved side. Grip strength averaged 92% of the uninvolved side. Compared with preoperative values, range of motion improved an average of 16% and grip strength improved an average of 129%, an overall average improvement of 12 degrees and 18 kg, respectively. At the most recent follow-up, all patients remained employed. Seven patients held manual labor positions, 2 were nurses, and 4 were employed in sedentary vocations. All patients demonstrated some degree of degenerative changes, usually localized to the radiocapitate articulation in the lunate fossa. Clinical results did not correlate with radiographic degeneration.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates proximal row carpectomy to be a reliable motion-preserving procedure with good clinical results maintained out to an average of 15 years postoperatively.