Pisiform excision is an effective and safe treatment for ulnar-sided wrist pain related to the pisotriquetral joint

Abstract

Pisotriquetral disorders can cause chronic ulnar-sided wrist pain. When conservative treatment is insufficient, pisiform excision can be a solution. There are reports found in the literature describing variable effects of this procedure in small, descriptive case series. This study included 175 patients who underwent pisiform excision performed in various specialized private hand clinics between 2011 and 2015. Patients were analyzed using standardized outcome measurements. Functionality was improved significantly 3 months postoperative, with a decrease in pain (n = 86) (P < 0.05), mean improvement of 13 degrees in wrist flexion/extension (n = 72) (P < 0.001), and 18% increase in strength (n = 75) (P < 0.001). Twelve months postoperatively, the wrist function (PRWHE-DLV) improved from a mean of 64 to 25 (n = 62) (P < 0.001). The results support pisiform excision as an effective and safe treatment. Significant pain relief can be expected with improvement in wrist function. Unfortunately, a high amount of data was missing. The authors believe that the data presented in the study represents an underestimation of the results. Level of evidence: Level III, therapeutic study.