Injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) may result in ulnar wrist pain with or without instability. One component of the TFCC, the radioulnar ligaments, serve as the primary soft-tissue stabilizer of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). Tears or avulsions of its proximal, foveal attachment are thought to be associated with instability of the DRUJ, most noticed during loaded pronosupination. In the absence of detectable instability, injury of the foveal insertion of the radioulnar ligaments may be overlooked. While advanced imaging techniques such as MRI and radiocarpal arthroscopy are well-suited for diagnosing central and distal TFCC tears, partial and complete foveal tears without instability may be missed without a high degree of suspicion. While technically challenging, DRUJ arthroscopy provides the most accurate method of detecting foveal abnormalities. In this annotation the spectrum of foveal injuries is discussed and a modified classification scheme is proposed. Cite this article:
Advances in hip arthroscopy have renewed interest in the ligamentum teres. Considered by many to be a developmental vestige, it is now recognised as a significant potential source of pain and mechanical symptoms arising from the hip joint. Despite improvements in imaging, arthroscopy remains the optimum method of diagnosing lesions of the ligamentum teres. Several biological or mechanical roles have been proposed for the ligament. Unless these are disproved, the use of surgical procedures that sacrifice the ligamentum teres, as in surgical dislocation of the hip, should be carefully considered. This paper provides an update on the development, structure and function of the ligamentum teres, and discusses associated clinical implications.
