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Anatomical study of the carpal attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage complex

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mutsu General Hospital, Kogawa-cho 1-2-8, Mutsu, Aomori, 035-0071, Japan.

S. Toh, MD, Associate Professor

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Zaifu-cho 5, Hirosaki, Aomori 036 8076, Japan.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr S. Nishikawa.

There have been few descriptions of the site of attachment onto the triquetrum, the so-called meniscal homologue, of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). We have investigated the sites of attachment onto the triquetrum of 87 TFCCs collected from embalmed cadavers.

All TFCCs were smoothly attached to the triquetrum. In 79 (46 cases, 90%) they were attached to the triquetrum and fifth metacarpal bone, and in eight (5 cases, 10%) they were attached widely on the articular surface of the triquetrum.

It is necessary to have accurate positional information about the normal triquetrum and TFCC in order to perform arthroscopy. The meniscal homologue attached to the triquetrum is smooth in almost all cases. In about 10% of joints the TFCC is attached to the lunotriquetral ligament, either partly or completely obscuring the articular surface of the triquetrum.