To investigate the clinical efficacy of ulnar metaphyseal shortening osteotomy in the treatment of ulnar impaction syndrome (UIS).

From June 2017 to June 2020, 12 patients with UIS were treated by ulnar metaphyseal shortening osteotomy combined with internal fixation of locking compression distal ulnar plate. The curative effect was evaluated according to the clinical indexes such as operation time, postoperative bone healing time, preoperative and postoperative ulnar variation, PRWE score, modified Mayo wrist score and visual analog score (VAS).

The patients were follow-up for 14 to 18 months, with an average of 16.2 months. The operation time was (43.1±9.3) min. All the patients achieved primary bone healing. The bone healing time was (12.6±1.7) weeks. There were no complications. The variation of ulna (-1.0±0.6) mm in postoperative X-ray examination was significantly lower than that in preoperative (2.6±1.2) mm (P<0.001). At the last follow-up, the PRWE score 21.7±3.8 was significantly lower than that before operation 52.2±7.3 (P<0.001). The VAS score 0.8±0.7 at the last follow-up was significantly lower than that before operation 6.8±0.8 (P<0.001). The preoperative modified Mayo wrist function score was 57.9±8.1, including 5 cases of fair and 7 cases of poor; and the last follow-up was 85.4±8.9, including 5 cases of excellent, 5 cases of good and 2 cases of fair. The postoperative score was significantly higher than that before operation (P<0.001).

The application of ulnar metaphyseal shortening osteotomy combined with internal fixation of locking compression distal ulnar plate in the treatment of UIS can promote bone healing, significantly reduce the incidence of related complications, relieve pain, facilitate early functional exercise, and the clinical efficacy is satisfactory.

Ulna; Osteotomy; Ulnar impaction syndrome; Plate internal fixation