Darrach Procedure A Skeletal Example

Abstract

A 62-year-old white male, whose remains were donated to Colorado Mesa University’s Forensic Investigation Research Station, presented with an unusual surgical procedure on the wrist. The distal end of the ulna was removed and a hole drilled through the stump. The medical history for this individual is minimal, but the technique is morphologically consistent with a Darrach procedure. A Darrach procedure is done to repair damage to the wrist joint by removing the distal end of the ulna. Modifications to this technique drill a hole in the ulnar stump as an anchor point for a tendon. Identification of a surgical procedure on unidentified skeletal remains may be useful to forensic specialists working to identify unknown remains.