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Lunate and Perilunate Dislocations in Professional Football Players

A Five-year Retrospective Analysis

Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

David A. Fischer, MD

Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Donald C. Quick, PhD

Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The purpose of this retrospective study was to review the treatment and prognosis of lunate and perilunate carpal dislocations in professional football players in the National Football League over a 5-year period. There were 7 lunate and 3 perilunate dislocations in 10 play ers. The mechanism of injury was hyperextension in 9 of 10 players. Five players were subsequently treated by closed reduction and percutaneous pinning; the oth ers were treated by open reduction and K-wire fixation. No player was treated by cast immobilization alone. In traoperative techniques, postoperative immobilization and protection, return to play, final follow-up physical examination, radiographic evaluation, and complica tions were reviewed. Results of this study clearly dem onstrate that lunate and perilunate carpal dislocations do not mean the end of a career in professional football, although a minimum of 4 weeks of playing time is lost. Treatments varied with respect to open or closed re ductions, placement of pins, casts, and time of immo bilization. None of the variations was clearly superior or detrimental, although four of the five players who re turned to play in the same season were treated by closed reduction with percutaneous pinning.

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