Surgeons' decision making in patients with chronic wrist pain: role of bilateral three-compartment wrist arthrography--prospective study.

PURPOSE: To determine if wrist arthrography changes surgeons' diagnoses and treatment plans for patients with chronic wrist pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bilateral, three-compartment wrist arthrography was performed in 64 patients. Prospective questionnaires evaluated surgeons' diagnoses and management plans at three stages: before arthrography, after arthrography of the symptomatic wrist, and after arthrography of the asymptomatic wrist. RESULTS: Surgeons tended to plan more conservative management after receiving the results of arthrography. The number of patients for whom the reported treatment plan included surgery dropped from 28 of 64 patients (44%) to 19 of 64 patients (30%) after review of the arthrography results (P = .05). The number of patients for whom the treatment plan included treatment of any kind dropped from 55 of 64 patients (86%) to 49 of 64 patients (77%) after review of the arthrography results (P = .09). An overall change in treatment plan occurred in 29 of 64 patients (45%). CONCLUSION: Wrist arthrography influences surgeons' decision making. After reviewing the results of arthrography, surgeons tended to change treatment plans toward more conservative, less invasive treatment.