Vascularized bone grafting from the dorsal distal radius for Kienböck's disease: Technique, indications and review of the literature

Abstract

The goals of surgical procedures in Kienböck's disease are to preserve wrist function, revascularize the necrotic lunate and maintain normal wrist kinematics when possible. Of the various treatment options, pedicled vascularized bone grafts from the dorsal distal radius permit the transfer of vascularized osseous tissue to the necrotic lunate in order to revascularize it. Vascularized bone grafting is an attractive alternative to conventional bone grafting by improving the local biological environment and thereby promoting revascularization. Recent advances in the anatomy and physiology of vascularized pedicled bone grafts have increased our ability to apply them to the treatment of Kienböck's disease. The purpose of this article is to describe the detailed vascular anatomy of the dorsal distal radius, the surgical technique, indications as well as contraindications of our preferred method of pedicled vascularized bone grafts of Kienböck's disease.