[Aseptic necrosis of the lunate bone. Etiology, clinical aspects, stage-adjusted therapy]

The development of the aseptic necrosis of the lunate bone is so far not fully understood. Therapeutical problems result from the very late discovery of the disease and from the central position in the carpal bone system. Bad long-term-results come out of therapies not able to revitalize the lunate bone. Therefore the therapeutical goal attempted must be to keep the structures of the bone alive and to avoid major pathological changes of the whole carpal bone system. More or less good results could be shown for these patients with a total break-down of the lunate bone treated with the intercarpal-arthrodesis described by Graner.