Evaluation of clinical and radiological outcomes of patients undergoing surgical treatment for scaphoid fractures and nonunions

Introduction and Aim: The scaphoid bone is the most commonly fractured carpal bone, treated through both surgical and conservative methods. This study aims to analyze the clinical and radiological outcomes of patients who underwent scaphoid surgery and to contribute to the existing knowledge base. Additionally, it aims to compare the effects of different surgical techniques on functional and radiological outcomes and evaluate their effectiveness in the healing processes. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed 46 patients who underwent open or closed surgery for scaphoid fractures at Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic between April 1, 2013, and April 1, 2023. The sociodemographic data, comorbidities, fracture characteristics, and details of the surgical procedures were analyzed. Postoperative follow-ups included functional evaluations using VAS pain scores, Mayo Modified Wrist Score and DASH score. Results: Post-surgical evaluation of patients with scaphoid fractures showed no change in grip strength. At the final follow-up, 93.5% of the patients had minimal disability, 43.5% reported no pain, 84.8% were satisfied with their condition, and 60.9% had excellent outcomes. Additionally, 54.3% of the patients were very happy/asymptomatic, 41.3% had normal function, and 56.5% achieved complete union. Acute fracture surgeries resulted in better extension angles, incision direction showed similar outcomes, and more complicated fractures according to Slade-Geissler and Herbert-Filan classifications were associated with worse outcomes. There were no significant differences in functional and radiological outcomes among the surgical techniques applied to nonunion cases. Conclusion: There was no clear superiority among the surgical techniques used for scaphoid fractures. More complicated fractures were associated with poorer radiological and functional outcomes. Keywords: Scaphoid fracture, functional and radiological outcomes.