The Fractured Carpal Scaphoid

Jeong, Hak Young; Yang, Seung Wook; Shin, Young Cheol

Abstract

The carpal scaphoid is the commonest of the carpal bones to be fractured, and this injury is the commonest to befall the wrist of working man. There is still some disaggrement as to the optimum treatment and as to how long immobilization should be maintained. The twenty seven cases of the carpal scaphoid were treated at department of orthopaedic surgery, Maryknoll Hospital. They were analyzed in regared to the clinical and radiological aspects. The results were summarized as follows. l. Of 27 cases 24 cases were in the age group 20 to 39, and all cases were male patients. 2. In 17 cases, the fracture was found in right side. 3. In 19 cases (70.4%), the fracture was found on the middle 1/3 of the carpal scaphoid and in 18 cases(66.8%), the fracture line was transverse. 4. The union rate of fracture was 100% in the distal 1/3 fracture, 89.5% in the middle 1/3 fracture and 66.3% in the proximal fracture. The average period of immobilization were 10.3, 14.9 and 15.3 weeks respectively. 5. By Maudsley's assessment, the end result was good in all cases of the distal 1/3 fracture, 84.2% in the middle 1/3 fracture and 66.7% in the proximal 1/3 fracture. 6. Traumatic arthritis developed in 3 cases, avascular ncerosis in 7 cases, nonunion in 4 cases.