Comparison of ulnar lengthening and radial shortening in Kienbock's disease

Kienbock's disease refers to lunate bone avasular necrosis and if untreated in stage I or II will lead to collapse and cause deformity of bone. If it progress to stage III or IV, the salvage of radiocarpal bone will be impossible and patients may need a problematic surgery. The goal of this study is to compare the surgical treatment results of radial shortening or ulnar lengthening method in stage II. Sampling was done in simple sampling method (20 patients) that had wrist pain and referred to clinic. The patients divided into two groups. In first group radial shortening and osteotomy and in second group ulnar lengthening and oseotomy were done. The cure of disease was evaluated as 1) no pain in rest, 2) in normal activity, 3) in severe activity, 4) signs of union in radiography. The results showed that radial shortening method 10 patients and in ulnar lengthening group patients had recovered that (P<0.05). Our findings show radial shortening method is preferred to ulnar lengthening in stage II and therefore this method is suggested