The Effects of Intraoperative Position on Radiological Measurements in the Normal Wrists

Abstract

Objective: To investigate and quantify the effects of the intraoperative position on radial inclination, ulnar variance and transfer of the ulnar styloid in normal wrists.

Methods: Plain radiographs were taken of thirty volunteers wrists (15 male and 15 female) in three different positions including sitting with the forearm in the neutral position, and reclined in the supine position with the forearm pronated and supinated, respectively.

Results: The results revealed that ulnar styloids were transferred in both the intraoperative supine positions, and the radial inclination was significantly increased in the supine position with the forearm pronated, especially in males (P<0.05).

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that intraoperative forearm rotation may affect the accuracy of evaluating wrist measurements.