Distal radioulnar joint instability is difficult to grade by clinical examination and interobserver reliability is low. This study used a new and precise radiostereometry method for measurement of distal radioulnar joint translation. Eight human donor arms were positioned in a custom-made fixture and a standardized piano key test was done with pressure on the ulnar head. Examination was done before and after dividing the styloid and foveal insertions of the triangular fibrocartilage complex. In the intact wrists, the piano key test induced a mean 1.36 mm translation of the ulnar head, which increased statistically significantly to 1.96 mm after a lesion of the styloid ligament insertion and to 2.3 mm after combined lesions of the styloid and foveal ligament insertions. This experimental cadaver study demonstrates a radiological method for precise quantification of distal radioulnar joint stability after different grades of triangular fibrocartilage complex injury.
Keywords: Distal radioulnar joint; instability; kinematics; radiostereometry; triangular fibrocartilage complex.