Classification of distal radioulnar joint disorders.

Abstract

The wrist is one of the most complex articulations in the human body. The distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is particularly controversial, enduring as the area least understood with regard to anatomy and pathomechanics. The popular systems of classifying DRUJ disorders are based on etiology and treatment, but this approach has inspired schemes that are cumbersome, redundant, and incomplete. The need for an improved system prompted us to devise a simplified system that is based on the pathomechanics of dysfunction and the mechanical requirements for optimal joint function.