Diagnosis, typing, and principles of treatment of triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a group of important structures on the ulnar side of the wrist, consisting of the articular disc, meniscus homologues, metacarpal and dorsal distal ulnar-radial ligaments, ulnar extensor tendon sheaths, ulnar collateral ligaments, ulnar lunotriquetral ligament, and ulnar deltoid ligament.The TFCC plays an important role in the bearing of carpal loads and the maintenance of the stability of the inferior ulnar-radial joint. The TFCC plays an important role in bearing the load of the wrist joint and maintaining the stability of the lower ulnar-radial joint, and its complex anatomical structure and multiple functions make it susceptible to trauma and degeneration, which is one of the common causes of ulnar pain and instability of the wrist joint. As the clinical manifestations of most patients are atypical and X-ray is often negative, it is easy to miss the diagnosis. In addition, some patients may have combined ulnar and radial distal fracture, which hides their own clinical symptoms, coupled with the fact that doctors have relatively little knowledge about it, and initially, they tend to use conservative treatment, and the prognosis is often unsatisfactory, so the early diagnosis and treatment of TFCC injuries should be further emphasized by the majority of doctors. Patients suspected of having TFCC injury can generally be diagnosed through history, physical examination and auxiliary examination. Detailed history and physical examination are very important for diagnosis. Most of these patients have a clear history of wrist sprain before consultation, and come to the clinic because of pain on the ulnar side of the wrist and popping after activity. Clinical symptoms usually include diffuse and deep pain or soreness on the ulnar side of the wrist, which may radiate dorsally, and the pain may be triggered when grasping objects with force, which may lead to weakening of the grip strength. On physical examination, there are mainly pressure and pain at the nasopharyngeal fossa on the ulnar side of the wrist and at the ulnar-wrist joint space, positive ulnar stress test, and with lower ulnar-radial instability, the ulnar head is elevated to the dorsal side, and the piano key sign and positive drawer test can be found, etc. The majority of patients may have limited rotational function of the wrist. Auxiliary examinations include wrist X-ray, MRI and arthroscopy, although X-ray cannot directly show soft tissue lesions, it can get some indirect information, such as ulnar bone degeneration, lower ulnar-radial joint condition, and the presence of ulnar tuberosity or distal radius fracture.MRI is the most important examination for diagnosing TFCC injury, with high sensitivity and accuracy, its limitation is that diagnosis depends on the high quality of images and the reader’s experience. Its limitation is that the diagnosis depends on the high quality of the images and the experience of the person who reads the films. Wrist arthroscopy is the gold standard for diagnosing TFCC injuries and is also the best method of examination, with better sensitivity and accuracy, and can more accurately diagnose the type and severity of the tear. For those who are ineffective in conservative treatment or with lower ulnar-radial joint instability are indications for arthroscopic surgical treatment, which depends on the type of injury. At present, the more common international TFCC injury typing is Palmer’s typing: type I is traumatic tear, divided into four subtypes A, B, C, and D. Among them, type IA is a central perforation, which usually cannot be directly repaired due to the lack of blood supply in the central area, and can be cleaned up in the central part to remove the cartilage flap that prevents movement; type IB is a tear of the ulnar attachment part of the TFCC, and the injury is located in the peripheral part, with a better blood supply, which usually can be repaired by direct suture; type IC is a TFCC tear of the ulnar side, which is located in the peripheral part, and usually Type IB is an avulsion of the TFCC ulnar attachment, the injury is located in the peripheral part, the blood supply is good, and it can be repaired by direct suture; Type IC is an avulsion of the TFCC palmar attachment or ulnar lunate ligament or ulnar deltoid ligament, which is unsuitable for arthroscopic repair, but it can be cleaned up to improve the symptom; Type ID is an avulsion of the TFCC radial attachment, and the use of clean up or suture is controversial, and it should be judged according to the stability of the inferior ulnar-radial joint; Type II is a degenerative injury, and all of them involve the central area with no blood supply. It is divided into five subtypes, from A to E. Type IIA has disc wear without perforation; type IIB has disc wear and cartilage of the lunate and ulna; type IIC has cartilage and disc perforation; type IID has disc perforation, cartilage, and rupture of the lunotriquetral ligament; and type IIE has disc perforation, cartilage, lunotriquetral ligament rupture, and ulnar carpometacarpal arthritis. These pathologic changes are mostly secondary to ulnar impingement, which generally cannot be repaired surgically and requires consideration of load-shedding treatment. Types IIA and IIB are generally not amenable to arthroscopic treatment, and ulnar shortening can be used; types IIC and IID can be cleaned out of the perforated area with the optional use of ulnar shortening or microscopic ulnar thinning resection, and type IIE should be treated with remedial treatment, and a feasible distal ulnar resection, incisional repair, and joint fusion if necessary. If only arthroscopic TFCC cleaning is performed, postoperative braking is generally not required, while patients with arthroscopic TFCC repair need to be braked with the wrist rotated in a posterior position for 4-6 weeks after surgery.After 6 weeks, passive joint mobility exercises and gentle active strength training are initiated, and the rehabilitation process should be gradual, with gradual resumption of daily activities after about 10-12 weeks and gradual resumption of physical activities after half a year in general. The rehabilitation process should be gradual, and daily activities should be resumed after about 10-12 weeks, and sports activities should be resumed gradually after six months. In conclusion, arthroscopic treatment of TFCC injury is a safe, minimally invasive and effective treatment modality, which is effective in relieving pain and improving the function of the wrist joint, but at the same time, the indications for the surgery should be strictly grasped.