Definition and Classifications of Kienbock Disease in the Past 100 Years: A Review of the Evidence

Abstract

Kienbock disease (KD) was described by Robert Kienbock in 1910 as osteomalacia of the lunate. A century has passed since the first description of KD, and numerous theories, classifications, and treatments have been published for achieving the best outcomes for this disease, but the treatments remain controversial among surgeons. Various classifications have been proposed for KD based on radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arthroscopy, and morphology from 1947 to 2017. Recently, the pioneers of KD (Lichtman and Bain) proposed a new classification based on all the previous classifications (radiography, MRI, and arthroscopy). This classification seems to be the best evaluation and treatment method for KD. We recommend using this new classification for the assessment of KD.