This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal My Folders Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sawaizumi, T. Articles by Ito, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sawaizumi, T. Articles by Ito, H.

Vascularised bone graft from the base of the second metacarpal for refractory nonunion of the scaphoid

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr T. Sawaizumi.

A vascularised bone-graft procedure from the base of the second metacarpal was performed in 14 patients with nonunion of the scaphoid. There were 11 men and three women with a mean age of 22 years. In eight patients, who had dorsiflexed intercalated segment instability (DISI), an open wedge was formed at the site of nonunion, and the vascular pedicle was grafted from the volar side. In the six patients without DISI, transplantation was carried out through the same dorsal skin incision.

Complete bony union was obtained in all patients after a mean post-operative period of 10.2 weeks, and DISI was corrected in all affected patients. According to Cooney’s clinical scoring system, the results were excellent in five, good in six, and fair in three patients. Because of its technical simplicity and the limited dissection needed, the procedure should be considered for the primary surgical treatment of patients with nonunion of the scaphoid.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Veitch, S. M. Blake, and H. David Proximal scaphoid rib graft arthroplasty J Bone Joint Surg Br, February 1, 2007; 89-B(2): 196 - 201. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]