title: The lunatohamate articulation of the midcarpal joint.
abstract: Sixty-one cadaveric wrists were dissected to assess the frequency of a medial lunate facet as well as any associated pathologic changes in the midcarpal joint. Two types of lunate were identified: Type I (39.3%), in which no medial facet was present, and Type II (60.7%), in which there was a medial facet. The medial facets in the Type II lunates ranged from a shallow 2 mm facet to a deep 6 mm facet. Significant cartilage erosion with exposed subchondral bone at the proximal pole of the hamate, which was not identifiable by radiograph, was evident at dissection in 57% of the Type II lunates, whereas none (0%) of the Type I lunates had such associated hamate pathology. Midcarpal joint arthroscopy appears to be the diagnostic procedure of choice to assess the presence of hamate proximal pole arthrosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Viegas
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D012667:Lunate Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology*