41
Views
5
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Usefulness of absorbable screws in the Sauvé–Kapandji procedure for rheumatoid wrist reconstruction

, , , , , , & show all
Pages 144-147 | Received 10 May 2001, Accepted 08 Sep 2001, Published online: 02 Jan 2014
 

Abstract

 In the Sauvé–Kapandji (S–K) procedure for rheumatoid wrist reconstruction, the distal end of the ulna is fixed to the radius with screws. Recently, absorbable screws have increasingly been used instead of metal ones. However, the clinical usefulness of absorbable screws in S–K procedures for rheumatoid patients is still unknown. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effect of absorbable screws in this procedure by comparing their clinical results with those of metal screws. Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) absorbable screws were used in 23 wrists, and metal screws were used in 20 wrists. We evaluated the presence of general or local reactions to PLLA, the stability of the ulnar head, the time to bone union, changes in the shape of the distal ulna, and the presence of bone resorption around the screws. There were no complications with the use of PLLA screws, and their fixation stability was adequate to form sufficient bone union. In five cases in the metal screw group, bone resorption around the screws occurred between 1 and 2 years after surgery. Bone resorption around the PLLA screws was not observed. We conclude that absorbable screws may be more useful than metal screws in the S–K procedure for rheumatoid wrist reconstruction.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.