To Örebro University

INTRODUCTION: Wrist arthroscopy is an evolving procedure. The purpose of this study was to report the outcome of diagnostic arthroscopy of the wrist using a new tool, the NanoScope, under wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of 30 consecutive patients with suspected ligament tear after wrist trauma and remaining symptoms after initial conservative management. All patients had an MRI prior to the NanoScope procedure.

RESULTS: The patients comprised 17 men and 13 women, with a mean age of 31 years. One patient declined the NanoScope procedure following their MRI. In the remaining 29 patients, NanoScope wrist arthroscopy revealed 19 cases of triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) tears and 11 tears of the scapholunate (SL) or lunotriquetral (LT) ligaments. The correlation between preoperative MRI and the findings from NanoScope arthroscopy was poor. Six patients had additional surgery after the NanoScope arthroscopy, comprising three TFCC sutures, one SL and one LT ligament reconstruction respectively, and one wrist arthrodesis. No complications related to the NanoScope arthroscopies were noted.

CONCLUSION: NanoScope arthroscopy of the wrist is safe, is well-suited for surgery in WALANT, and has superior diagnostic capacity compared to MRI. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of the NanoScope in the management of wrist ligament pathologies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: This is a level 4 study.