Darrach's Procedure - Ulna Head Removal...anyone?

[ellilu58]

My brilliant hand surgeon has finally reached the end of the road in regards to trying to sort out the damn painful RA in my wrist. After various ops on it, I had an ulna shortening two years ago so my arm has a pin and plate in. He was hoping to do an ulna head replacement but because of the pin and plate, and if he removed them, I'm too much at risk of my arm constantly fracturing now 😱

Soooo, he's recommended the Darrachs procedure which means simply removing the ulna head. He says that should definitely stop the pain and is apparently the best operation for RA. He wouldn't have done it if I was younger but feels that now I'm 66 , it would work.

Anyone had this done? xx

[stbernhard]

Never heard of it. Hopefully it will ease the pain. Good luck🤞

[knobblyknees]

I had to have a tendon transfer in my wrists due to the bone wearing through them and my fingers just hanging. (Luckily we have 2 sets of tendons and the other set were surgically transfered). In the process he also shaped the ulna head and wrapped it so it could never wear away the tendon anymore. My ulna head now looks like a blunt sharpened pencil and have no pain. I'm glad yours haven't got to the point of loosing the use of your fingers.

[BoneyC]

Whilst I don't have experience of ulna head removal, I have just had an elbow replacement on Monday this week and surgeon said my radial head was so destroyed by RA he's removed it. He went on to say when a patient needs to do more lifting a radial head is put in but as I wont be lifting much at all, he's left it out. Not sure which version is best, didn't really get an option. I'm 60, had RA 53 years.

I hope you get your ulna sorted soon. Good luck.

[ellilu58 in reply to BoneyC]

Thank you for that. Hope you're starting to recover from the op and that it's not too painful. Take care 😊