A Comparison of Fixation Screws for the Scaphoid during Application of Cyclical Bending Loads*

Abstract

A fixation device in the scaphoid must be able to withstand the stresses that are placed on the scaphoid as a result of its position spanning the proximal and distal carpal rows. Also, because of the prolonged time required for healing of fractures or non-unions of the scaphoid, the device must be able to withstand many such cycles of stress. The present study demonstrates that commonly used screws for fixation of the scaphoid vary significantly (p < 0.005) in their ability to resist cyclical bending loads.