A comparison of proximal radioulnar synostosis excision after trauma and distal biceps reattachment

We tested the hypothesis that the results of operative resection of a proximal radioulnar synostosis are better when the synostosis is due to a distal biceps reattachment (11 patients) than when it occurs after trauma (13 patients). Two patients in the trauma cohort had recurrence of the synostosis, and 1 had repeat resection. Two patients in the trauma cohort and 1 in the biceps cohort had substantial loss of forearm rotation due to regrowth of heterotopic ossification without synostosis, and 2 patients were addressed with subsequent surgeries. The arc of forearm rotation after the index surgery averaged 94° in the trauma cohort and 131° in the biceps cohort. This study confirms that operative resection of a proximal radioulnar synostosis can restore substantial motion in most patients. The results for excision of a synostosis after a distal biceps reattachment were better than those of excision of a synostosis after trauma.