Incidence, mechanism, and natural history of scaphoid fractures

Scaphoid fractures are fairly common and remain a difficult problem with respect to diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. The initial goal is accurate diagnosis of the fracture using clinical evaluation and available imaging modalities. Union is the subsequent objective, with a trend toward restoration of normal scaphoid anatomy, because nonunion or malunion may lead to unacceptable results and patient dissatisfaction. Despite biomechanical research of simulated fractures and clinical studies on natural history, the exact outcome after scaphoid union, nonunion, and malunion remains variable.