Primary and Secondary Dislocation of the Scaphoid Bone.

Injuries to the wrist often present problems of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment (MacAusland 1944, B#{246}hler1956, Cave 1958, Aitken and Nalebuff 1960). Those associated with fractures are usually demonstrated by proper radiographs, but even these injuries may be missed (Soto-Hall and Haldeman 1941, Speed 1950). Dislocation of the scaphoid bone may occur after apparently successful reduction of a major carpal dislocation or may occur as a primary condition. We have seen nine patients with rotational dislocation of the scaphoid bone. In two the dislocation was easily recognised; in the other seven the diagnosis was not so easy. This type of dislocation, though it has been described before (Cave 1941, Watson-Jones 1955, McLaughlin 1959, Wagner 1959, Wade 1960), is easily recognised only if it is specifically sought. The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the condition, which, if unrecognised and untreated, may cause significant disability.