Etiologies of Wrist Arthritis in the Young Patient.

Most young patients with wrist arthritis will present with a history of trauma as their inciting event. Common causes of wrist arthritis in young patients are intercalated segment pathologies such as scapholunate advanced collapse and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse, postdistal radius fracture arthritis, and pisotriquetral arthritis. Less common causes of wrist arthritis in young patient are nontraumatic in nature and encompass a wide range of etiologies that are idiopathic (eg, Kienbock and Preiser disease), congenital (Madelung deformity), metabolic (chondrocalcinosis), and inflammatory (juvenile idiopathic arthritis). A systematic approach to the patient visit is critical to arrive at the appropriate diagnosis.