The arthroscopic wafer procedure in degenerative TFCC lesions with ulnocarpal abutment syndrome. Techniques, indications, results

The wafer procedure is a technique involving the partial resection of the distal ulna for the treatment of patients with symptomatic tears of the TFCC, for ulnar abutment syndrome or both. The TFCC-tears are classified as Palmer type 2. The wafer procedure can be performed as an open procedure or arthroscopically. It is an alternative to a shortening osteotomy of the ulna and decompresses the ulnocarpal joint. In ten cases with long-term follow-up, the preferability of the arthroscopic method is demonstrated: a minimally invasive technique, optimal assessment of all lesions, maximum protection of all uninjured structures in comparison to the open method, single stage procedure,and low complication rate. The long-term results are predominantly positive,so that the arthroscopic wafer procedure should be performed more often than it is today.