The short-term outcome of the modified Sauvé–Kapandji procedure regarding range of motion, carpal bone translation and bony shelf size

The Sauvé–Kapandji (S–K) procedure is a common treatment for rheumatoid wrists, but in some cases severe bone destruction makes this operative modality difficult to perform, while also resulting in a poor outcome. A modified S–K procedure for these wrists has been reported, but the clinical outcomes of the modified procedure are unclear. This study evaluated 24 wrists in 20 patients who underwent the modified S–K procedure. The mean follow-up period was 34.5 months. The clinical assessments were range of motion, carpal bone translation and bony shelf size. The range of motion and carpal bone translation were similar to those produced by the S–K procedure. In regard to bony shelf size, wrists with an excessively large bony shelf tended to have a progression of carpal bone translation toward the palmar direction due to the residual malposition of the ECU tendon. The modified S–K procedure appears to be a safe and effective surgical alternative for the treatment of severely destroyed rheumatoid wrists. Although the modified procedure allows for the adjustment of the bony shelf size, it should not be used with wrists that have an excessively large bony shelf.