title: Prosthetic silicone scaphoid strains: effects of intercarpal fusions.
abstract: To assess stress shielding by partial intercarpal fusion, strains within a silicon scaphoid prosthesis were measured in five fresh upper extremities while the wrist was moved through a functional range of motion before and after capitate-lunate and capitate-hamate-lunate-triquetral intercarpal fusions. Capitate-lunate fusions resulted in an overall 18.4% reduction in compressive strains and a 10.8% reduction in tensile strains. Capitate-hamate-lunate-triquetral fusions reduced compressive strains by 28.5% and tensile strains by 26.3%. Radially deviated positions and positions of extension produced no reduction in strains with the partial fusions. Modest strain shielding can be obtained with partial intercarpal fusions. The effect, however, is position dependent, and whether this degree of strain shielding can reduce the incidence of particulate synovitis remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Toby
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Glisson
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Seaber
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
mesh_terms: D001174:Arthrodesis; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014955:Wrist Joint
chemical_list: D012826:Silicone Elastomers