Abstract

The effect of the lunate type on carpal collapse in cases of scaphoid nonunion has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether any association exists or not between the capitate-triquetrum distance and occurrence of carpal collapse in cases of scaphoid nonunion. In a retrospective study, 76 patients with scaphoid nonunion formed two groups based on the capitatetriquetrum distance ; forty-three patients with distance of less than 5 mm and 33 patients with distance of 5 mm or more. The two groups were comparable with respect to sex distribution, age, dominant hand involvement, manual labor, nonunion location and time from injury to final x-rays. Six patients (13.9%) in the capitate-triquetrum < 5 mm group and 13 patients (39.4%) in the capitate-triquetrum ≥ 5 mm group had no signs of collapse, with significant difference (p < 0.05). Capitate-triquetrum distance could contribute in the decision making process for cases of scaphoid nonunion without straightforward indication for surgical intervention.