title: Scaphoid nonunions: a 3-dimensional analysis of patterns of deformity.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that the fracture location of scaphoid nonunions relates to the fracture displacement, development of dorsal intercalated segment instability (DISI) deformity, and changes in the contact area of the bones in the radiocarpal joint. Eleven patients with scaphoid nonunions were examined with 3-dimensional computed tomography and a new method of proximity mapping. Two different patterns of displacement of scaphoid nonunions were demonstrated, 1 volar and 1 dorsal. All patients with a volar pattern scaphoid nonunion had a DISI deformity. Only a few of the patients with a dorsal pattern scaphoid nonunion, mostly in longstanding nonunions, had a DISI deformity. The fracture line was generally distal to the dorsal apex of the ridge of the scaphoid in the volar-type fractures and proximal in the dorsal displaced fractures. The proximity map of the distal fragment of the scaphoid on the radius in the volar type shifts radial compared with normal; in the distal type it shifts dorsal. Neither of the patterns showed any significant changes of the proximity map in the radiocarpal joint at the proximal scaphoid fragment and the lunate. Whether the fracture line passes distal or proximal to the dorsal apex of the ridge of the scaphoid appears to determine the likelihood of subsequent fracture displacement, DISI deformity, and contact area of the bones in the radiocarpal joint.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, The University of Texas Medical Center, Galveston 77555-1350, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moritomo
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Viegas
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Dasilva
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*