Ulnar buttress arthroplasty after enbloc resection of a giant cell tumor of the distal ulna

Enbloc resection with or without ulnar stump stabilization is the recommended treatment for giant cell tumors (GCT) of the distal ulna. A few sporadic reports are available where authors have described various procedures to prevent ulnar stump instability and ulnar translation of carpal bones. We report a GCT of the distal ulna in a 43-year-old male which was resected enbloc. The distal radioulnar joint was reconstructed by fixing an iliac crest graft to the distal end of the radius (ulnar buttress arthroplasty) and the ulnar stump was stabilized with extensor carpi ulnaris tenodesis. After a followup at three years, there was no evidence of tumor recurrence or graft resorption; the patient had a normal range of movement of the wrist joint and the functional outcome was excellent as per the score of Ferracini et al.