Abstract
Complete disruption of the scapholunate (SL) ligament results in the development of arthritic lesions known as scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) of the wrist. The authors present the results of a prospective study of seven patients in whom radiography showed an acute complete rupture of the scapholunate ligament and who refused SL ligament reconstruction.
This group was compared with a group of 17 patients who underwent ligament reconstruction soon' after an acute rupture had been detected. All patients were examined at 36 months after injury for hand function and pain using the Wrightington Hospital Wrist Scoring (WHWS) System, and for the presence or absence of SLAC by radiography.
Group 1 patients underwent arthroscopic examination in order to evaluate the extent of arthritic lesions.