The Impact of Scaphoid Malunion on Carpal Motion: A Biomechanical Analysis

Description

In this engaging presentation, Spencer Chambers introduces research conducted at The Hand Upper Limb lab, focusing on the biomechanics of wrist pathologies, especially scaphoid malunion. He emphasizes the significant gap in clinical studies addressing how scaphoid malunion affects patients, contrasting it with the better-understood scaphoid nonunion. Chambers outlines the methodology of their cadaveric study, detailing the process of creating a motion simulator that allows for the detailed analysis of carpal bone movements, highlighting several stages including specimen preparation, motion simulation, and pathology modeling. He presents findings showing minimal changes in the motion of most radial-sided carpal bones with various malunion angles but identifies a noteworthy progressive extension of the lunate bone, indicative of a DISI deformity. This analysis aims to shed light on the symptomatic nature of certain wrist pathologies and their relation to patient experiences. Chambers concludes by thanking contributing institutions and opens the floor to questions.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-210403

Specialties