presents
Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics
Tracking Pixel
Search Site by Word
My Account

Vascularity of the Lunate



- See:
        - Blood Supply to the Wrist:
        - Kienbock's Disease:

- Discussion:
    - majority of lunates have both dorsal & palmar vessels & are thus as
            well-vascularized as the other carpal bones;
            - neither single intraosseous nor extraosseous disruption alone will cause
                    avascular necrosis in these bones because of the rich external and
                    internal anastomoses;
            - lunate blood supply may be jeparidized by dorsal approaches to wrist, but
                    perfusion from palmar radiocarpal arch is adequate in most cases;
    - usually there is, an rich anastomotic network fed by multiple dorsal &
            palmar vessels;
    - in < 20% of pts: a single vessel enters palmar surface and branching with
            in the bone to provide the sole supply;
            - w/ this pattern, pts w/ in severe hyperextension injuries or dislocations may
                    have a disruption of palmar nutrient vessels as they enter the bone;





Original Text by Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD.