Scapholunate Ligament Repair and Capsulodesis

Falls on an outstretched arm resulting in wrist hyperextension can cause scapholunate dissociation, the most common form of carpal instability. These injuries can be diagnosed by a thorough history and physical examination combined with radiographic views that show a widened scapholunate interval. Surgical repair of the scapholunate ligament can be performed provided there is sufficient ligament to repair and in the absence of degenerative changes of the radioscaphoid articulation. This article details the surgical technique for repair of the scapholunate ligament followed by a capsulodesis to provide a dorsal tether to prevent pathologic scaphoid flexion.