[Fracture and dislocation fracture of the os capitatum. Review of the literature and case report].

Capitate fractures are serious and rare carpal injuries. A case of a closed, isolated capitate fracture is presented. The largest fragment of the capitate, which was fractured at its waist, was dislocated with the wrist twisted in an ulnodorsal orientation. The supposed traumatic cause of the capitate fracture was a fall onto the outstretched and ulnar-deviated hand. After open reduction, osteosynthesis with K-wires was performed. Immobilization for 6 weeks in a plaster-of-Paris cast followed. The excellent functional result (according to the modified evaluation scale of Pechlaner/Beck) obtained after 15 months is demonstrated. Diagnosis and subsequent therapy should be as aggressive as in the case of scaphoid fractures. Different modalities and possible complications of an operative treatment are discussed.