• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • General Ortho
  • Procedures
  • Spine
  • Upper Limb
  • Lower Limb
  • Pain
  • Trauma
  • Tumors
  • Newsletter/Updates
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Bone and Spine

Orthopedic health, conditions and treatment

Scaphoid Bone Anatomy

By Dr Arun Pal Singh

In this article
    • Surfaces & Articulations
    • Attachments
      • Ligaments
    • Relations
    • Variations in Anatomy
    • Ossification
    • Blood Supply
    • Surface Anatomy and Palpation
    • Clinical significance of Scaphoid
      • Scapholunate Instability

The scaphoid bone is one of the carpal bones of the wrist on the lateral side of the wrist. Carpal bones are arranged in two rows and scaphoid is most lateral of the proximal row.

The carpus is made up of 8 carpal bones, which are arranged in two rows.

Proximal row

It contains (from lateral to medial side)

  • Scaphoid
  • Lunate
  • Triquetral
  • Pisiform

Distal row

From lateral to medial side

  • Trapezium
  • Trapezoid
  • Capitate
  • Hamate
Carpal Bones Fractures
Carpal Bones – Distal and Proximal Rows Proximal: A=Scaphoid, B=Lunate, C=Triquetral, D=Pisiform Distal: E=Trapezium, F=Trapezoid, G=Capitate, H=Hamate
Carpal Bones
Carpal Bones on x-ray.

The scaphoid bone is the largest bone of the proximal row of wrist bones, its long axis being from above downward, lateral, and forward.

It is approximately the size and shape of a medium-sized cashew.

It is also called os scaphoideum and is the largest of the proximal row of carpal bones.

Skaphe means “a boat,” and eidos means “form” in Greek. The name is derived by combining two words signifying its shape.

It is important for stability and movement at the wrist.

The bone has a tubercle on its lateral side directed laterally, laterally, forwards and downwards.

Surfaces & Articulations

Left Scaphoid Bone

The superior surface is convex, smooth, of triangular shape, and articulates with the lower end of the radius.

The inferior surface, directed downward, lateralward, and backward, is also smooth, convex, and triangular, and is divided by a slight ridge into two parts, the lateral articulating with the trapezium, the medial with the trapezoid.

On the dorsal surface is a narrow, rough groove, which runs the entire length of the bone, and serves for the attachment of ligaments.

The volar surface is concave above and has a tubercle, which is directed forward and gives attachment to the transverse carpal ligament and sometimes origin to a few fibers of the abductor pollicis brevis.

The lateral surface is rough and narrow and gives attachment to the radial collateral ligament of the wrist.

The medial surface presents two articular facets; of these, the superior articulates with the lunate bone the inferior for the head of the capitate bone.

The distal convex surface articulates with trapezium and trapezoid.

The scaphoid articulates with five bones: the radius, trapezoid, trapezium, lunate and capitate.

  • proximal surface: radius
  • distal surface: laterally with the trapezoid and trapezium; medially with the capitate
  • ulnar surface: lunate

Proximally, the smooth convex surface of the scaphoid articulates with the distal radius.

The distal surface is split into two separate articular surfaces by a bony ridge. Radially, it articulates with the trapezoid and trapezium while on the ulnar side, it articulates with the capitate.

The medial surface has a concave appearance and articulates with the lunate.

Attachments

Volar or Palmar Ligaments of Wrist
Volar or Palmar Ligaments of Wrist, Image Credit: Orthobullets
Dorsal Ligaments of Wrist
Dorsal Ligaments of Wrist, Image Credit: Orthobullets

There are no musculotendinous attachments to the scaphoid bone. Following ligaments attach with the scaphoid bone

Ligaments

  • Dorsal surface: dorsal radiocarpal ligament
  • Radial surface: radial collateral ligament
  • Scapholunate ligament
  • Radioscapholunate ligament
  • Scaphocapitate ligament

Relations

The radial artery crosses the dorsal surface.

The scaphoid forms the radial portion of the carpal tunnel and is therefore related to the structures that pass through it, namely fibers from flexor digitorum profundus and superficialis, the median nerve, flexor pollicis longus and flexor carpi radialis which lie media to it.

Muscles of the thumb and associated tendons are also close.

Variations in Anatomy

  • Bipartite scaphoid
  • A coalition with neighboring bones
  • Isolated scaphoid hypoplasia

Ossification

The scaphoid has a single ossification center, as do the trapezoid and trapezium. Ossification begins around the 4th year, and as with most ossification in the hand and wrist, it tends to occur earlier in females.

Blood Supply

Blood Supply of Scaphoid
Blood Supply of Scaphoid, Credit: Orthobullets

Scaphoid receives the majority of its blood supply via dorsal vessels at or just distal to waist area passing through perforations on the dorsal surface.

Approximately 75% of the arterial supply is from branches of the radial artery.

Rest of the blood supply is from palmar & superficial palmar branches of radial artery & enter carpal scaphoid in the region of its distal tubercle perfusing 20-30 % of bone, including tuberosity.

No anastomoses have been found between the dorsal and palmar vessels. The vascular supply to the proximal pole is mainly retrograde, a fracture through the tubercle or the waist places the proximal pole at risk of avascular necrosis.

Surface Anatomy and Palpation

The scaphoid can be palpated at the base of the anatomical snuff box. It can also be palpated in the volar (palmar) hand/wrist. Its position is at the intersections of the long axes of the four fingers while in a fist, or the base of the thenar eminence.

Clinical significance of Scaphoid

Fractures

Scaphoid fractures are the most common fractures of carpal bones. They occur due to falling on an outstretched hand. These fractures must be recognized and treated quickly.

Delays may complicate healing leading to increased the likelihood of osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis of the proximal segment.

Scapholunate Instability

Scapholunate instability can occur when the scapholunate ligament is disrupted.

Spread the Knowledge
  •  
  • 0
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Filed Under: Anatomy

About Dr Arun Pal Singh

Arun Pal Singh is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon, founder and chief editor of this website. He works in Kanwar Bone and Spine Clinic, Dasuya, Hoshiarpur, Punjab.

This website is an effort to educate and support people and medical personnel on orthopedic issues and musculoskeletal health.

You can follow him on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter

Primary Sidebar

complex-regional pain syndrome lower limb

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS

Complex regional pain syndrome or CRPS is a chronic painful condition causing intense pain, usually in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. The cause of condition is poorly understood and there is no cure. The management involves control of symptoms by various modalities. The condition It may happen after an injury to a nerve or […]

Deformity After Fracture Clavicle

Clavicle Fracture Diagnosis, Treatment and Complication

Clavicle fracture is often caused by a fall onto an outstretched hand, fall onto the shoulder, a direct blow to the shoulder. Eighty-seven percent get fracture clavicle due to fall onto the shoulder. Direct trauma to clavicle can occur with either blunt or penetrating trauma. Sporting activities that may result in direct trauma to the […]

Child hand with amniotic band syndrome.

Amniotic Band Syndrome

Amniotic band syndrome is a rare disorder [but not hereditary] that entrapment of fetus in strands of amniotic tissue and causes a variety of different birth defects.  The severity of amniotic band syndrome can range from a single, isolated finding to multiple, disfiguring complications. It is advocated that it should be called a sequence, rather […]

Xray of Dislocation of Patella

Recurrent Dislocation of Patella

Recurrent dislocation of the patella is not a common entity. It may be congenital, developmental, or post-traumatic. In contrast, recurrent subluxation of the patella is quite common. It is more common in females. Causes of  Recurrent Dislocation of Patella Ligaments Laxity In children with diseases that cause ligamentous laxity (e.g. osteogenesis imperfecta, arachnodactyly, or the […]

Congenital Kyphosis

Congenital kyphosis is the presence of ky[hotic deformity or hump in the spine due to congenital vertebral anomalies. Kyphosis is exaggerated forward spine bend and it is called congenital as it occurred prior to birth. The vertebral defect which usually occur in the first six to eight weeks of embryonic life causes the spine to […]

Synovial Chondromatosis with Large Loose Bodies

Synovial Chondromatosis Causes and Treatment

Synovial chondromatosis is a synovial disease where synovium has foci of cartilage tissue. These could be found in the synovial lining of joint, tendon sheath and bursae. These ectopic foci of cartilage can result in painful joint effusions and, on the generation of loose bodies, mechanical symptoms. It is also known as Reichel’s syndrome or […]

Refracture Humerus

Humerus Shaft Fracture Diagnosis and Treatment

The humerus shaft fracture is the fracture of humerus bone that lies between the proximal and distal part of the humerus. This part lies between the upper border of the pectoralis major insertion proximally and the supracondylar ridge distally. This constitutes the middle three-fifths of the entire humerus. Relevant Anatomy   The deltoid tubercle forms […]

Browse Articles

Footer

Pages

  • About
    • Policies
    • Contact Us

Featured Article

Intraarticular Fractures Principles and Management

Intraarticular fractures are the fractures where the fracture line crosses into the surface of a joint resulting in some degree of cartilage damage. … [Read More...] about Intraarticular Fractures Principles and Management

Search Articles

© Copyright: BoneAndSpine.com