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SNAC Wrist Help
Hello,
I am a 32 year old male. I broke my wrist when I was 17 in 2002 playing high school football. It went undiagnosed until 2009. My then orthopedic surgeon said that I would need a fusion (4 corner) at some point. At the time I was a full-time personal trainer and did not want to sacrifice months in a cast or give up ROM. So he said when I can't use it anymore to come back and see him.
Fast forward to 2016-2018. I have since moved to Minnesota and have a new orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. He did x-rays, CT Scan, and MRI as well. They revealed that the proximal pole of the Scaphoid was fragmented. He gave me a few options. Originally, in 2016 he had hopes for a "Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty" which has only been done at the Mayo Clinic in 10 other individuals (This was before we did the CT Scan or MRI), His other options were, a Four-Corner Fusion, or a Denervation of my wrist with a styloidectomy.
Feb. 15th, 2018 I went back for a follow up because my wrist is finally hurting to the point where something needs to be done. So I felt it was time to schedule my surgery for either the Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty or the Four-Corner Fusion. HOWEVER, Upon reexamination and updated x-rays my radioscaphoid fossa looks very beat up and the Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty is now off the table. My Lunate fossa appears to be intact but won't know for sure without doing a scope or opening my wrist up. Thus he is in favor of the Wrist Denervation and Styloidectomy. They gave my wrist pain nerve a lidocaine injection to simulate the effect for me to see. They had me test it by squeezing a dynamometer for hand strength. With the lidocaine shot the strength in my affected wrist ended up matching my healthy wrist strength. This in there eyes is great, but in my eyes this is simply putting a bandaid over the problem and not addressing the underlining pathology. Which they understood, but since I want to keep ROM they said this could buy me a few more years or more. Again, this is not an answer to my problem and could potentially hurt my chances for a Four-Corner Fusion down the road.
I know this may sound silly but, If I could get a Four-Corner Fusion and still be able to hold a barbell for pressing exercises with minimal to no pain I would get a Four-Corner Fusion in an instant! I suppose this holds true for someone who works with there hands all day (Which I do), or is an artist, rides bikes, motorcycles, gymnastics, etc...
Any help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.
I am a 32 year old male. I broke my wrist when I was 17 in 2002 playing high school football. It went undiagnosed until 2009. My then orthopedic surgeon said that I would need a fusion (4 corner) at some point. At the time I was a full-time personal trainer and did not want to sacrifice months in a cast or give up ROM. So he said when I can't use it anymore to come back and see him.
Fast forward to 2016-2018. I have since moved to Minnesota and have a new orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. He did x-rays, CT Scan, and MRI as well. They revealed that the proximal pole of the Scaphoid was fragmented. He gave me a few options. Originally, in 2016 he had hopes for a "Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty" which has only been done at the Mayo Clinic in 10 other individuals (This was before we did the CT Scan or MRI), His other options were, a Four-Corner Fusion, or a Denervation of my wrist with a styloidectomy.
Feb. 15th, 2018 I went back for a follow up because my wrist is finally hurting to the point where something needs to be done. So I felt it was time to schedule my surgery for either the Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty or the Four-Corner Fusion. HOWEVER, Upon reexamination and updated x-rays my radioscaphoid fossa looks very beat up and the Hemi-Hamate arthroplasty is now off the table. My Lunate fossa appears to be intact but won't know for sure without doing a scope or opening my wrist up. Thus he is in favor of the Wrist Denervation and Styloidectomy. They gave my wrist pain nerve a lidocaine injection to simulate the effect for me to see. They had me test it by squeezing a dynamometer for hand strength. With the lidocaine shot the strength in my affected wrist ended up matching my healthy wrist strength. This in there eyes is great, but in my eyes this is simply putting a bandaid over the problem and not addressing the underlining pathology. Which they understood, but since I want to keep ROM they said this could buy me a few more years or more. Again, this is not an answer to my problem and could potentially hurt my chances for a Four-Corner Fusion down the road.
I know this may sound silly but, If I could get a Four-Corner Fusion and still be able to hold a barbell for pressing exercises with minimal to no pain I would get a Four-Corner Fusion in an instant! I suppose this holds true for someone who works with there hands all day (Which I do), or is an artist, rides bikes, motorcycles, gymnastics, etc...
Any help anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.
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