Magnesium-Based Compression Screws in Acute Scaphoid Fractures and Nonunions

Magnesium-based bioabsorbable osteosynthesis material continues to receive increasing attention. The following study documents our experience with bioabsorbable magnesium screws in scaphoid fracture treatment in hopes to capture further evidence and successful application.

Eight acute scaphoid fractures and four nonunions were treated with the magnesium-based bioabsorbable compression screw MAGNEZIX^®. Objective outcome was assessed by X-ray imaging and/or CT scan for bone healing. Clinical assessment was achieved using the modified Mayo Wrist Score. Patient-reported outcome measure was performed threefold via QuickDASH, PRWE, and EQ-5D-5L questionnaires in all patients. Follow-up was 32.5 months (SD 18.7) in the acute fracture group and 31 months (SD 7.4) in the nonunion group.

Bone healing was achieved in all eight patients with acute scaphoid fractures and in three of four patients with scaphoid nonunion. The modified Mayo Wrist Score was 95 (SD 7.1) in fractures and 80 (SD 7.1) in nonunion patients during follow-up. QuickDASH score was 3.9 (SD 5.8) in fracture and 19.3 (SD 10.6) in nonunion patients. All but one patient (87,5%) with scaphoid fractures presented with a full health state during follow-up (EQ-5D-5L). Nonunion patients had problems in 10 out of 19 dimensions in EQ-5D-5L. Acute fractures presented with a score of 3.9 (SD 7.9) and nonunions with a score of 19.7 (SD 32.4) in PRWE total scoring during follow-up.

Magnesium-based implants have excellent clinical outcomes when used for scaphoid fractures in eight presented cases and good to moderate clinical outcomes when used for nonunions in three of four presented cases. Additional studies are required to further analyze the differentiated applicability in scaphoid nonunion as well as overall performance when compared to non-absorbable screws in larger cohorts.