Intersection syndrome

Background

• Extensor wrist tenosynovitis
• Second compartment of dorsal wrist containing extensor carpi radialis brevis and longus (ECRB and ECRL)
• Overuse of wrist and hand

extensor compartments of wrist

Clinical Features

• Pain where ECRL and ECRB intersect with abductor pollicis longus (APL), extensor pollicis brevis (EPB)
• Easily confused with De Quervain tenosynovitis

Differential Diagnosis

Hand and finger injuries

• Distal finger
  • Finger amputation
  • Fingertip laceration
  • Nail avulsion
  • Nailbed laceration
  • Subungual hematoma
• Other finger/thumb
  • Boutonniere deformity
  • Mallet finger
    • Swan neck deformity
  • Jammed finger
  • Jersey finger
  • Trigger finger
  • Ring avulsion injury
  • De Quervain tenosynovitis
  • Infiltrative tenosynovitis
  • Metacarpophalangeal ulnar ligament rupture (Gamekeeper's thumb)
• Hand
  • Dupuytren contracture
• Wrist
  • Drummer's wrist
  • Ganglion cyst
  • Lunotriquetral ligament instability
  • Scaphoid fracture
  • Extensor digitorum tenosynovitis
  • Compressive neuropathy ("bracelet syndrome")
  • Intersection syndrome
  • Snapping Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
  • Vaughn Jackson syndrome
• General
  • Hand and finger dislocations
  • Hand and finger fractures
  • Hand and finger infections
  • Gout and pseudogout
  • Hand and finger tendon injuries
  • High-pressure injection injury
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ring removal

See Also

• Hand and finger diagnoses

External Links

• See Dr. Nabil Ebraheim's video on dorsal wrist compartment syndromes