The Modern History of the Wrist

Abstract

The history of the wrist dates back to the times of Destot,1,2 who first described fractures of the scaphoid; Fisk,3 who demonstrated carpal instability in association with displaced scaphoid fractures; Gilford et al4 who entertained an explanation of wrist function in face of wrist fractures, and many other early investigators.5,6,7,8,9,10,11 The concept of wrist instability evolved further with definition of perilunate instability by Mayfield and coworkers12,13 and an understanding of perilunate injuries with both dorsal and volar carpal displacements.3,4,14,15,16,17 But it was the publication of the article “Traumatic instability of the wrist. Diagnosis, classification, and pathomechanics” in 1972 from the Mayo Clinic by Linscheid and associates18 that stimulated a very keen and enduring interest in the wrist. These investigators introduced the new and defining terms dorsal intercalated carpal instability (DISI) and volar intercalated instability (VISI) as pathologic disorders that define scapholunate instability (DISI) and lunotriquetral instability (VISI) as well as a host of complex or combined problems of instability of the wrist. The follow-up publications in the Journal of Hand Surgery in 1983 by Linscheid and coauthors,19 and nearly 10 years later in 1992,20 further defined the basic concepts, diagnosis, and treatment of wrist instability.