The influence of wire positioning upon the initial stability of scaphoid fractures fixed using Kirschner wires: A finite element study

A finite element model of the carpal scaphoid and its joints was developed to study how wire positioning affects the initial stability of the fixation of scaphoid waist fractures using Kirschner wires. A transverse fracture of the scaphoid waist was simulated along with its fixation using five different two-wire configurations. The resulting models were subjected to a load simulating a 200 N force passing through the wrist. Friction between bony fragments was taken into account; as the friction coefficient of cancellous bone is unknown, three different values were analysed. For each of these friction coefficient values, the smallest transverse interfragmentary displacements, and consequently maximum initial stability, were obtained for the model that simulated the maximum gap between wires in the plane of fracture. Results also show that for a similar gap in the plane of fracture, more stable fixation can be achieved when wires cross each other not only in the frontal plane of the hand, but also perpendicularly to it.