Background: There still is no standard therapy that predictably results in healing of avascular necrosis of the lunate bone. Nevertheless, there exists a wide spectrum of operative treatment options for different stages.
Objective: This article reviews the treatment options for necrosis of the lunate bone and proposes algorithms based on the age of the patient and condition of the lunate bone and the wrist.
Methods: Surgical treatment options for necrosis of the lunate bone can be divided into relieving or revascularization procedures and salvage procedures.
Recommendations: For patients under 20 years old the treatment of choice is prolonged immobilization, in cases of non-response or progression, minimally invasive and relieving procedures are used. In adult patients with limited affection of the lunate bone the first therapeutic approach should also be immobilization. If in progressive disease or advanced stages only the lunate bone is compromised but reconstructable, restoration should be considered. In progressive collapse of a non-reconstructable lunate bone the therapeutic efforts shift to mobility-preserving procedures utilizing still functional articulations of the wrist. If all functional articulations are lost only classical salvage procedures are feasible.
Conclusion: According to the presented algorithms a stage-dependent therapy of necrosis of the lunate bone is possible. It should not be ignored that there are still no scientific and evidence-based arguments for some of these treatment options. This is also true for maximally invasive procedures, where superiority to more simple procedures have not been proven. Therefore, their application should be restricted and based on an individual decision.
Keywords: Arthrodesis; Avascular necrosis of bone; Immobilization; Kienboeck’s disease; Revascularization.