Navicular bone morphometry for implant planning in fracture surgery: a dry bone analysis

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively characterise surgically relevant morphometric features of dry navicular bones and to provide anatomical reference values that can be utilised in implant placement.

Fifty-five isolated, unpaired dry navicular bones without macroscopic deformity were examined. Tuberosity morphology, tuberosity-medial cuneiform distances, navicular body dimensions (mediolateral width, level-specific anteroposterior measurements, and depth), talonavicular articular surface depth, and concavity index were evaluated using a digital caliper and digital thickness gauge.

The narrowest tuberosity width, anteroposterior length, and supero-inferior height were 6.59 ± 1.28 mm, 16.38 ± 2.43 mm, and 11.24 ± 1.26 mm, respectively. The tuberosity groove depth was 2.05 ± 0.92 mm. The distances from the tuberosity midpoint to the medial cuneiform articular surface at the nearest and farthest points were 21.86 ± 3.11 mm, 29.65 ± 3.37 mm. The mean mediolateral body width was 37.69 ± 3.54 mm. Level-specific anteroposterior dimensions were 18.01 ± 2.34 mm, 15.15 ± 2.15 mm, and 12.56 ± 1.62 mm, whereas the corresponding body depths were 18.35 ± 3.01 mm, 25.24 ± 2.30 mm, and 22.52 ± 2.47 mm, respectively.

These findings provide surgically relevant anatomical reference values that may assist preoperative planning and support safer fixation of navicular fractures, and contribute to the design and optimisation of navicular implants and fixation devices.