Non-traumatic osteoarthritis of the wrist: chondrocalcinosis

Abstract

Post-traumatic arthritis of the wrist is a common disorder, mostly after scapho lunate or scaphoid injury. Some patients in our experience and in literature have no known trauma, are bilateral and have a mean age much higher than usual post-traumatic cases. Radiological (during an often-extensive medical history) and biological studies of these patients led us to think there is a form of chondrocalcinosis of the wrist, with a four stages evolution, similar to SLAC and SNAC wrist but with often no scapho lunate gap, vertical embedding of the scaphoid in the radius and chalky incrustation of the joint. We called that form of dislocation of the carpus: scaphoid chondrocalcinosis advanced collapse or SCAC wrist. Surgical treatment of advanced cases is described. Scaphoidectomy and resection of triquetrum are performed, associated with hamato-luno-capitate fusion. Other rare forms are described and literature (mostly radiological and rheumatological because these patients are often been mistaken as SLAC wrist) is studied.