• Young Hak Roh, Seok Woo Hong, Hyun Sik Gong, and Goo Hyun Baek.
• Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: ryhak@hanmail.net.
• Arthroscopy. 2018 Nov 1; 34 (11): 2994-2998.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to analyze factors that affect the treatment outcomes of arthroscopic debridement for central triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) lesions in adults <45 years of age.MethodsA total of 71 patients (mean age, 39 years; range, 20-44 years) who had been arthroscopically diagnosed with central TFCC tears were treated with arthroscopic debridement. Demographic, clinical, and arthroscopic findings were examined and analyzed. The response to treatment, including pain numeric rating scale on an ulnar provocation test; Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score; and satisfaction with treatment, was assessed at 12-month follow-up.ResultsThe mean pain numeric rating scale (6.6 ± 3.6 to 2.4 ± 2.0, P < .01) and Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (59.3 ± 15.0 to 33.7 ± 14.1, P < .01) scores exhibited significant clinical improvement at 12-month follow-up. In terms of satisfaction, 43 patients (70.5%) were satisfied (enthusiastic or satisfied) and 18 (29.5%) were dissatisfied (noncommittal or disappointed). In the satisfied group, there were 24 flap and 19 wearing tears, whereas in the dissatisfied group, there were 4 flap and 14 wearing tears (P = .02). The extent of ulnar plus variance on preoperative radiographs also differed between the 2 groups (0.5 ± 1.2 vs 1.7 ± 1.1, P < .01). There were no significant differences in age, gender, hand dominance, or work level between the groups. After controlling for confounding variables, the wearing type tears (odds ratio, 3.4) and greater ulnar plus variance (odds ratio, 2.0) were associated with a higher likelihood of dissatisfaction after arthroscopic TFCC debridement.ConclusionsAlthough clinical outcome scores showed significant improvement after arthroscopic debridement for central TFCC tears, wearing type tears and greater ulnar plus variance were associated with dissatisfaction and poorer postoperative outcomes after the procedure.Level Of EvidenceLevel IV, case series.Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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