Dislocated Wrist - Carpal Dislocation
The carpal bones are the eight small bones which make up the wrist and consist of the Hamate, Capitate, Pisiform, Trapezoid, Trapezium, Scaphoid, Lunate and Triquetrum.
Symptoms of Carpal Dislocation
Symptoms usually include:
- Severe pain.
- Deformity is usually obvious.
- Tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers which suggests associated median nerve damage.
Causes
There are a number of ways in which the carpal bones dislocate and the lunate bone is usually involved in most of them. A dislocation of the carpal bones will involve severe ligament damage and if left untreated can result in permanent disability. Two significant dislocations are anterior (front) dislocation of the lunate and perilunar dislocation of the lunate.
Treatment
Carpal dislocations may require surgical treatment by specialist wrist and hand surgeons to put the bones back in place and repair the ligament damage. The wrist is then immobilised in a cast for 8 weeks.
