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Length changes of scapholunate interosseous ligament at different wrist positions: an in vivo 3-dimension image study

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Abstract

Purpose

The scapholunate interossous ligament (SLIL) has a critical role in maintaining the proper kinematic relationship between the scaphoid and the lunate. We hypothesize that the length of SLIL changes significantly at wrist full extension and during forearm rotation. The aim of this study was to investigate the length changes of SLIL at wrist full extension and forearm rotation in vivo.

Methods

Twelve volunteers were randomly divided to two groups. We obtained computed tomography scans of the wrists at different wrist positions. The three regions of the SLIL were measured and analyzed with computer modeling.

Results

The results showed that from the neutral to full extension of the wrist, the length of volar SLIL and volar, middle portions of the proximal SLIL increased significantly. The volar and proximal SLIL increased significantly in maximal forearm pronation.

Conclusions

The lengths of the volar and proximal regions of SLIL increase substantially at wrist full extension, but only slightly at maximal forearm pronation. Clinically, wrist full extension may make the SLIL ligament vulnerable to disruption.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the staff of the Department of Hand Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University. This work was supported by grants from Medical Research Center of Jiangsu Province and Jiangsu Hand Surgery Center, China.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

The authors declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of my country in 198 which they were performed. The institutional review board approved this study, and informed consent was 199 obtained from all volunteers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hand Surgery, Hand Surgery Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 West Temple Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China

    Jing Chen, Jun Tan & Jin Bo Tang

  2. Jiangsu Hand Surgery Center, Nantong, China

    Jing Chen, Jun Tan & Jin Bo Tang

Authors
  1. Jing Chen
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  2. Jun Tan
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  3. Jin Bo Tang
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Correspondence to Jing Chen.

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Chen, J., Tan, J. & Tang, J.B. Length changes of scapholunate interosseous ligament at different wrist positions: an in vivo 3-dimension image study. Surg Radiol Anat 37, 765–772 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-014-1414-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-014-1414-3

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