Peripheral triangular fibrocartilage complex tears cause ulnocarpal instability: a biomechanical pilot study.

Background: Instability at the ulnocarpal joint has many causes, but the common thread among these causes is the presence of abnormalities in the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). However, the biomechanical consequences at the ulnocarpal joint after detachment of the TFCC from the ulnar styloid are not clearly defined. Better delineation of whether peripheral TFCC detachments cause ulnocarpal instability will help to design surgical treatments.