Hand and Upper Limb

Acro-osteolysis is an osteolysis of the distal phalanges of the hands and feet. It can affect the terminal tuft [transverse acro-osteolysis] or the shaft of the distal phalanx (band acro-osteolysis). Acro-osteolysis is often associated with distal digital ischemia, digital calcinosis, or severe sensory neuropathy. It has been associated with occupational activities, infections, rheumatic disorders (systemic […]

Palindromic rheumatism is recurrent arthritis characterized by episodes of painful swelling of one [usually] or more joints for hours to days often without any obvious triggers or warning symptoms. Any joint(s) may be affected, but finger joints, wrists, and knees are most commonly affected Between episodes, people with palindromic rheumatism have no symptoms and the time between […]

The scaphoid is most frequently fractured carpal bone. Scaphoid fractures account for up to 15% of acute wrist injuries and 50% to 80% of carpal fractures. Scaphoid fractures have been reported in people aged 10-70 years but commonly occur in young, active individuals,  peak incidence being in the second and third decades of life. Scaphoid […]

Scapholunate instability is a spectrum of wrist instabilities that have occult scapholunate interosseous ligaments sprains on one side and scapholunate advanced collapse on the other side. Often the term is used interchangeably with scapholunate dissociation but in a strict sense, the scapholunate dissociation is one of the types of scapholunate instability. To summarize, acute disruption […]

Allen Test is done to check the patency of radial and ulnar arteries. This important test has many uses in clinical practice. One of the common use is before drawing the arterial blood gas to determine if both vessels are patent.

Wrist Instability or carpal instability occurs when takes wrist is damaged by trauma, chronic inflammation or anatomical alterations like ulnar variance and neoplasms. Injuries to the ligaments of the wrist represent a broad spectrum of pathology. There are a number of ligaments of the wrist maintaining a complex articulation of carpal bones. Ligament injuries are […]

Perilunate injuries which include perilunate dislocations and perilunate fracture-dislocations are the most devastating closed injuries of the wrist that involve traumatic rupture of the radioscaphocapitate ligament, the scapholunate interosseous ligament, and the lunotriquetral interosseous ligament.  Because the lunate is strongly bound to the radius and ulna by the palmar capsular ligaments, in severe injuries the […]

Wrist biomechanics and function of the human wrist joint are unique. The wrist joint is a diarthrodial joint composed of two rows of carpal bones. The proximal row articulates with the distal articular surface of the radius, which consists of the scaphoid fossa and the lunate, fossa. The distal surface of the scaphoid, lunate, and […]

Callus is hyperkeratotic thickening due to repetitive friction. Presentation of calluses and corns are discussed here. In this article, I am writing about the commonly used terms for different types of calluses. These are vernacular terms and are interesting to note as they try to convey the etiology. Jeweler’s callus or  Cherry Pitter’s thumb or […]

Elbow instability refers to a laxity in the elbow joint that may cause the joint to catch, pop, or slide out of place during certain arm movements. It most often occurs as a result of an injury — typically, an elbow dislocation. The instability associated with elbow injury is called acute elbow instability whereas the […]