Adhesive capsulitis of the wrist: diagnosis and treatment

Adhesive capsulitis occurs as a pathologic entity in the shoulder, hip, and ankle joints. Thickening and contracture of the wrist joint capsule were demonstrated on arthrograms performed on ten patients ranging in age from 20 to 82 years. The patients had pain and limited range of motion in the wrist. The findings included: (1) resistance to the injection of smaller than normal volumes of contrast material, (2) obliteration of recesses, and (3) extravasation of the contrast agent along the needle tract. Closed manipulation under general anesthesia of the wrist on four patients resulted in some improvement in range of motion. A distal ulna fracture in one older patient occurred as a complication of manipulation. Careful technique and judicious patient selection are of paramount importance.