The Distal Row Carpal Bones - A Morphometric Treatise

Ripujit Randhawa, Ravikant Sharma, JS Kullar, Gaurav Agnihotri
2020 International Journal of Current Research and Review  
A comprehension of customized geometry of carpals is essential for preoperative planning and creation of implants and fixators. The present morphometric treatise on distal carpal bones has an anatomical, anthropological and clinical significance. Objective: To assess the gross morphological features with special emphasis on the dimensions and configurations of the articular facets. Methods: The study was done on 480 distal carpal bones.120 bones (60 right and 60 left) of each type (hamate,
more » ... ate, trapezoid and trapezium) were selected from the bone museum at Government Medical College, Amritsar. The morphometry and morphology of each distal carpal bone were studied. Results: The mean values as measured for right and left-sided bones when compared were found to be statistically insignificant ('p' value >0.01) for most parameters. A statistical significance was observed for the width of capitate at its base ('p' value <0.001), length of the distal surface of a trapezoid for articulation with the base of 2nd metacarpal (p-value <0.01) and width of groove on the palmar surface of the trapezium (p-value <0.01). No vascular foramina were observable on the bend of the hook of hamate in the present study. This pioneering study on distal row carpals provides important data on the incidence of merging and discontinuity of articular facets. Conclusions: The study provides pioneer results and addresses the paucity of a baseline 'morphometric criterion' for distal carpals. The normative data is invaluable for comprehension of wrist pathologic conditions like Kienbock's disease, post-traumatic arthritis and outcome of surgical procedures such as a proximal row corpectomy.
doi:10.31782/ijcrr.2020.122420 fatcat:dg2ggzkkdva73duxar3itjgfoe