Partial Wrist Fusion

[poppy941]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me!!  18 months ago, I injured my wrist.  I am a Police Officer and whilst struggling with an intoxicated male, my wrist cracked.  Following an MRI which indicated a tear to my TFCC, I underwent a wrist arthroscopy to repair the TFCC.  My consultant found the TFCC in tact but found that my cartlige which covers the lunate bone was totally denuded.  As a result, my ulnar bone was rubbing through to bare bone on the lunate.  I ended up having an ulnar shortening osteotomy.  I have now had nine months of pain following the surgery, which seems to have made it worse.  I have been sent to another consultant for a second opinion.  I have just had a MRI arthrogram and the results have come back clear.  The pain I experience is below the ulnar bone, deep inside the wrist on the ulnar side.  I cannot explain the type of pain but I struggle picking up my 2 year old.  I cannot work through risk of further injury.  My consultant has now suggested that I either live with the pain with often reviews but I will never be a fully fit operational officer or that I can opt for a partial bone fusion which will make me pain free but with a limited range of movement.  He believes that if the operation is successful then I could loose approximately 30 to 50% of movement and that I could still work as an operational officer.  This is now one of the hardest decisions I have to make in my life as not only is it going to affect my career but also my lifestyle.  I am wondering whether anyone can give me any guidance or pass on their experiences as to how this partial fusion will affect me in terms of what I can and can't do and whether full strength is re gained.  

[achilles2]

I am sorry you are in so much pain. You might want to look-up split tear of the UT ligament. Here is a link to one articles:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67652.php

I hope this helps,
achilles2

[mooksmom]

I had a colles fracture of my wrist falling off a bed. It's in the same general location as what you have had. I had 5 pins put thru it for 8 weeks and then went to PT for rehab. The therapist torqued my forearm so hard that she rebroke my wrist. They had to go back in and put titanium plate and a cadaver bone graft. It healed fine, BUT now I can't rotate my forearm outward farther than THUMBS UP or hitch-hiking position. It's annoying and frustrating, but the pain is gone.
YOU have to decide which is more important to you or get another opinion...maybe at one of the LARGE medical university hospitals if you have to have full range of motion, etc for your career.
I was lucky in that I can still start IVs and give shots with the little ROM I have left.
Best of luck to you.