Scaphoid Fracture

A scaphoid fracture is a break in one of the small bones on the thumb side of your wrist. It can happen when you fall and catch yourself with your hand stretched out. It is important to get it checked, because this bone has a limited blood supply and doesn't always heal easily.

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Overview

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Why treatment matters

Suspected wrist fractures warrant emergent treatment if you are experiencing hand numbness and tingling, severe or “tight” swelling, significant deformity of the wrist, or any open wounds around the wrist (possible open or compound fracture).

Even without these warning signs, it is best to seek urgent treatment as the results of delayed treatment of scaphoid fractures often leads to undesirable outcomes such as nonunion (won’t heal) or malunion (heals crooked).

Patient with an arm cast for wrist or hand injury

Nonoperative treatment:

Splinting and casting are the mainstays of nonoperative treatment of scaphoid fractures that are stable and not badly displaced (out of alignment). Scaphoid fractures are typically not able to be “set” straight without surgery. Cast treatment usually lasts 6-8 weeks as these are slow-healing fractures.

Operative treatment:

Surgical repair of scaphoid fractures is often required when the fracture pieces are unstable (won’t stay in place), or not healing properly with cast treatment. We perform a regional block to numb the arm and then make a small incision at the wrist to restore the alignment of the broken scaphoid and hold the pieces in place with an internal metal screw. Even with operative treatment, there is a risk of nonunion (won’t heal) or malunion (heals crooked).

Take the next step

Our board-certified specialists are here to help you heal. They can often diagnose the problem in one visit and get you started with a personalized treatment plan. We offer a wide variety of treatment options.