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Contents
  • What's a Perilunate Dislocation?
  • How Does It Happen?
  • Recognizing the Signs
  • Diagnosis and Treatment

Perilunate Dislocations: When Your Wrist Bones Go Rogue

Perilunate Dislocations: When Your Wrist Bones Go Rogue

A Wrist in Crisis

Perilunate dislocations are serious wrist injuries that can have long-lasting consequences if not treated promptly. Understanding this condition is crucial for anyone involved in high-impact activities or sports.
Contents
  • What's a Perilunate Dislocation?
  • How Does It Happen?
  • Recognizing the Signs
  • Diagnosis and Treatment

What's a Perilunate Dislocation?

A perilunate dislocation occurs when the bones surrounding the lunate (a small, crescent-shaped bone in your wrist) lose their normal alignment. It's like a game of Jenga gone wrong - one misplaced piece can destabilize the entire structure.

How Does It Happen?

These injuries typically result from high-energy trauma, such as a fall from a height onto an outstretched hand. Imagine your wrist as a shock absorber - in a severe impact, the force can cause the bones to shift out of place.
A perilunate dislocation occurs when the bones surrounding the lunate bone in the wrist lose their normal alignment, often due to high-energy trauma.

Recognizing the Signs

Symptoms include severe wrist pain, swelling, and deformity. You may also experience numbness in your hand due to pressure on the median nerve. It's like having a dislocated shoulder, but in your wrist - the pain and loss of function are hard to ignore.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis involves physical examination and imaging studies like X-rays and CT scans. Treatment usually requires immediate reduction (realignment) of the bones, often followed by surgery. Think of it as resetting a complex puzzle - each piece needs to be carefully put back in its proper place.

FAQs

How common are perilunate dislocations?

They represent about 7% of all carpal injuries.

Can perilunate dislocations heal without surgery?

Most cases require surgical intervention for proper healing.

What's the recovery time after treatment?

Full recovery can take several months to a year.

Are there long-term effects of perilunate dislocations?

Some patients may experience chronic pain or reduced wrist function.

Can these injuries be prevented?

Proper safety gear in high-risk activities can help reduce risk.

The Bottom Line

Perilunate dislocations are serious injuries that require prompt medical attention to prevent long-term complications and ensure the best possible outcome.
If you suspect a perilunate dislocation or any severe wrist injury, don't wait - consult with Doctronic immediately for expert guidance and swift action.
Additional References
  1. Herzberg G, Comtet JJ, Linscheid RL, et al. Perilunate dislocations and fracture-dislocations: a multicenter study. J Hand Surg Am 1993; 18:768.
  2. Mayfield JK, Johnson RP, Kilcoyne RK. Carpal dislocations: pathomechanics and progressive perilunar instability. J Hand Surg Am 1980; 5:226.
  3. Sawardeker PJ, Kindt KE, Baratz ME. Fracture-dislocations of the carpus: perilunate injury. Orthop Clin North Am 2013; 44:93.
  4. Pappas ND 3rd, Lee DH. Perilunate Injuries. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 2015; 44:E300.
  5. van der Oest MJW, Duraku LS, Artan M, et al. Perilunate Injury Timing and Treatment Options: A Systematic Review. J Wrist Surg 2022; 11:164.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.