Distal Radius Radiographic Indices and Perilunate Fracture Dislocation

BACKGROUND: Distal radius radiographic indices may play a role as risk factors in pathogenesis of Kienbock’s disease, scaphoid fracture and nonunion. Perilunate fracture dislocations are devastating wrist injuries, and their relationship and distal radius indices have not been addressed in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of distal radius radiographic indices including radial height, radial inclination, ulnar variance and volar tilt as risk factors in the perilunate fracture dislocation injury of the wrist. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied distal radius radiographic indices including radial height, radial inclination, ulnar variance and volar tilt in 43 patients with perilunate fracture dislocations and compared them with 44 wrists in the control group. RESULTS: The mean values of the radial height, radial inclination, ulnar variance and volar tilt were 12.74 (5 - 18), 24.20 (7 - 35), -0.73 (-5 - 4) and 12.28 (2 - 20) in the patient group. These values were 12.68 (9 - 22), 23.22 (17 - 30), -0.11 (-4 - 3) and 11.05 (-3 - 20), respectively in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not show that distal radius anatomical indices including the radial height, radial inclination, ulnar variance and volar tilt influence perilunate fracture dislocation as risk factors.