Abstract
Background Scaphocapitate syndrome is a rare injury where the proximal pole of the capitate rotates 90 to 180 degrees. The proximal pole of the capitate, thought to receive its vascular supply retrograde, is rendered avascular in such cases. However, recent evidence of low rates of avascular necrosis in displaced capitate fractures, and new vascular studies of the capitate, challenge this paradigm.
Case Description We report a case of a missed and neglected scaphocapitate syndrome with more than 30 years follow-up. While the patient experienced midcarpal arthritis, the injury had not resulted in capitate proximal pole avascular necrosis as per T1 magnetic resonance imaging studies.
Literature Review Missed and chronic cases of scaphocapitate syndrome were reported previously. Successful outcomes were achieved with anatomical reduction in cases without midcarpal arthritis. Salvage procedures or arthroplasty procedures are recommended with the presence of midcarpal arthritis. However, there are no reports of a neglected case with more than 30 years follow-up with preserved vascularity of the proximal pole of the capitate.
Clinical Relevance This case illustrates that vascularity of the proximal pole of the capitate can be preserved even in longstanding displaced fractures.
Seven aspects of the management of acute scaphoid fractures are open to debate: Diagnosis of true fractures among suspected fractures, assessment of fracture displacement, cast immobilization strategies, the role of surgical fixation, proximal pole fractures, assessment of union, and the underlying objective of treatment. We reviewed current evidence, and our varied interpretations of it, to highlight areas of uncertainty where more evidence might be helpful.
Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the scaphoid is common following proximal pole fractures due to an arduous retrograde arterial vascular supply and it is a challenge to the hand surgeon. The treatment for scaphoid non-union with avascular necrosis is vascularized or non-vascularized bone grafts. Non vascularised bone grafts (NVBGs) can be categorized as autograft or allograft and cancellous or cortical bone grafts. Vascularised bone grafts promote biological healing and revascularizes ischaemic bone and they are free or pedicled grafts. Pedicled vascularised bone grafts maintain the vascular supply of the donor bone graft and this leads to better bone remodelling, less osteopenia, faster incorporation and better maintenance of bone mass compared to the non-vascularised graft with good clinical and radiological outcomes. In this paper, we have treated avascular necrosis of scaphoid with a pedicled vascularised bone graft based on the 1, 2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery (1, 2-ICSRA) that resulted in a favourable outcome.
Perilunate injuries with lunate extrusion are extremely rare, representing an extreme subgroup of the Mayfield type 4 spectrum, with prognosis and management remaining controversial. We present a 45-year-old man with an open type 4 perilunate fracture dislocation, with lunate extrusion through the volar skin. Despite emergent treatment with open reduction and internal fixation, lunate and scaphoid proximal pole avascular necrosis developed. However, the overall functional outcome was satisfactory for daily activities at 30 months follow-up, with substantial improvement in the range of motion after hardware removal. To our knowledge, this is the third reported case of an open perilunate injury with lunate extrusion in the literature.
Following wrist trauma due to a karate accident, an 18-year-old male patient developed non-union of the scaphoid with proximal pole necrosis and significant scapholunate gap from an evident scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL) injury. A custom-made 3D-printed titanium implant was used for scaphoid replacement and SLIL reconstruction. Good clinical and radiographic outcomes were observed at his 2-year follow-up. Custom-made 3D-printed titanium implants are thought to provide a surgical solution for patients requiring site-specific scaphoid replacement while allowing the reconstruction of the scapholunate ligament.
Avascular necrosis with non-union of the scaphoid managed with a dorsal pedicled vascularised bone graft of the distal radius – a case report
