Scaphoid bone morphometry and nutrient foramina: anatomical study and clinical implications

The aim of the current study is to reveal the morphological features and nutrient foramina distribution of scaphoid bone in a Turkish population, which may be helpful to diagnosis and surgical treatment of scaphoid fractures.

One hundred and two (51 right, 51 left) dry scaphoid bone were measured. The following measurements were performed: length, width, area of articular surfaces, mid-peripheral width, number of posterior grooves, width and length of the grooves, length of the scaphoid tubercle and number of nutrient foramina, proximal or distal location of these foramina, and distance to the transverse midline were measured. Circumferential measurements were made using a surgical tape measure, morphometric measurements using a digital caliper and area measurements using the ImageJ program (LOCI, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA).

The length and width of the scaphoid bone are 25.57 ± 2.17 mm and 10.07 ± 1.25 mm, and the midline circumference is 34.85 ± 3.92 mm. In 41 bones a second posterior groove (sulcus) was found. Length and width of the main posterior groove was 19.43 ± 3.14 mm and 2.17 ± 0.67 mm respectively, number of nutrient foramen was 6 ± 2, length of scaphoid tubercle was 12.03 ± 1.78 mm. Overall, 341 nutrient foramen (215 dorsal, 126 palmar) were identified. The distance of the proximal nutrient foramen to the midline was 3.41 ± 2.37 mm and the corresponding distance of the distal nutrient foramen was 4.63 ± 2.72 mm.

This study revealed the scaphoid bone morphology, morphometry and nutrient foramina number and location in the Turkish population. These findings are important for orthopaedic surgeons during scaphoid bone surgery for fractures or pseudarthrosis.