TFCC Tear Surgery with Ulnar Shortening

[jpringle]

I am having my TFCC tear (Ulna will be shortened also) arthroscopically repaired on the 23rd and have some questions for those who have gone through the surgery. I am wondering what the recovery was like? Were you in a cast? Did they need to place any drains? How long in Physical Therapy? Were you out of work?

In addition to repairing the tear they are doing a biopsy because on the MRI we found a suspicious lesion suggesting the possibility of Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis (PVNS). I have had this in my knee before but traditionally it does not effect more than one joint so they are not sure what it is.

So most of my questions were pertaining to the biopsy and I could not get many of my other questions answered. I am hoping someone who has gone through this can help!  Thanks in advance!!!

Jen

[mareb]

I'm glad I found this site.  I'm waiting for the ortho's office to call me Monday with a date to do an ulna shortening and debridement on my left wrist. Like some of you I have large central tears of the tfcc's, ulnar deviation, etc of both wrists.   Although I've undergone several different surguries including spinal surgery, this one scares me for some reason.  Reading your comments at least reaasures me that my fears are well founded and not me blowing things out of proportion. I had a arthroscope with debridement and cyst removal done on the right last April but the pain is worse than ever.  I have to fight with workmans comp to do the shortening on the right but figured I'd see how the left works out first.  
DD--if you're still around I just want to let you know that I understand how you feel.  I hope you live in an area where you can seek out other opinions from neurosurgeons and ortho hand/wrist specialists.  I too have been off work a long time and have been dealing with all the repercussions.  Keep fighting the good fight.  If you're depressed as I am seek out help.  Medication and counseling is starting to help me--mentally at least.  Unless someone has experienced chronic pain and disability they cant really understand. Take care all.....Mare

[trishh123]

Wanted to check and see how you were doing now BLUE82. I also had ulnar shornteing and repair of TFCC on sept 7 2010. 3 weeks into therapy. Slowly getting motion back but painful.   How it going for you?

[blue82]

I had ulnar shortening with tfcc tear surgery on sept 13,2010. I didn't expect to be in so much pain. I have been in a cast for 4 weeks and any quick moves will leave you in tears. Its very painful to get dressed and you can forget about combing your hair. Sometimes I wake up screaming with excrutiating pain that last for a short peroid of time. I can not hold my hand to my side so I hold it up to my chest and this causes your arm to get stiff and that only adds to the pain. This is a works comp injury so of course my doctor is pushing my recovery a bit to fast. I'm due to start PT in a week and I'm so nervous because the pain is only going to get worse. Everyones body heal different so good luck!

[ddumbfounded13]

i had a fall two years ago. i had four surgeries since then. first i was casted for 6 weeks due to edema. i then was told i needed tfcc repair and the tendon in my wrist needed repair from dislocation. then i had the tendon in my elbow repaired. again i was casted for 6 weeks. i did therapy for 3 months with pain daily thinking it was normal. i could not fully open or extend my arm. i had the constant feeling of wrist popping, clicking and elbow felt like i hit my funny bone all day. after 10 months i was told my ulna nerve was severely compressed. i then had ulna nerve transposition surgery. i endured grueling pain my arm could not touch my clothing or any surfaces and was not useable. i was sent to a neurosurgeon pain management who did and emg and told me my nerve was still compressed i was put on 3 months of neurontin and pain med only to have an ulna nerve revision surgery intramuscular. i again was casted several more times. i since started therapy only to find on doing hand glides a bone is protruding the top of my wrist the pain feels like someone has hammered a nail in my wrist i have complete loss of feeling in my 4th and 5th digits the back of my arm and by my armpit. i had another mri only to be told my tfcc needs repair as it was only debrided with bone shaving and the inside of the tfcc removed. i am at a loss in pain and i do not know if this is possible my forearm on top also has pain with wrist movement. i hope someone can give me some advice. i have not functioned for two years i am 41. i just want to be better . thanks d.d.

[rach88485]

i have been off work for 1 year with a sharp pain in my wrist that ended up being a tfcc tear in my wrist ulnar side. i just had surgery that fixed the tear and cleaned out with steroid shot... i was told 2 weeks after i would notice considerable difference in my right hand and no pain or very small amount anyway 4 weeks gone by i hardley sleep a wink, my hand is that paintfull i feel like i have cramp ten fold. i am sick and tierd of this i am topping being off work for nearly 1 1/2 years and work are getting touchie but without my hands i cannot work on checkouts in a busy supermarket... also i have doubts that this will ever go away! which mentally has upset me because before all this happend i was a established fine art student and was doing a degree and was almost close to selling a few of my paintings but now i cannot paint because the pain in my right wrist is immense. i want to know after the keyhole surgery i herd you can have something else done i want some information if possible please rachxxx

[1611]

I just had the TFCC repair and ulna shortening surgery on 7/31/09. I didn't get the nerve blocker shot to deaden the arm, but was put under anestesia. I had alot of pain the first week or so and found it very hard to sleep. I'm a belly sleeper and they prefer you sleep on you back to keep your hand elevated to avoid swelling.( I was popping the percosett.) You are in a full splint/cast for approx. 2 weeks, then they fix you with a forearm brace for another month before therapy starts. I started therapy about a week ago and still not pull up my pants on my left side or grip anything over a couple of pounds. What concerns me the most is my loss of range of motion so far, particularly the supination of my forearm. I can't rotate my palm upward with my arm by my side.I find it hard to even open up a newspaper to read as you hold it in front of you. I've been out of work since then. I would say depending upon your line of work you have to allow at least 3 months for therapy and recuperation. Good Luck, Ed B.