[Blood supply and function of the scaphoid bone].

The proximal row of carpal bones, including Os scaphoideum, Os lunatum and Os triquetrum, should be considered as a functional unit. The arterial supply stems from branches of the rete carpi dorsale et palmare, which pass through the Ligamentum radiocarpeum dorsale et palmare, respectively. In two-thirds of all cases, the scaphoid bone, the most frequently fractured of the wrist bones, is uniformly vascularized, so that by fracture both fragments retain their blood supply. In the remaining third of all cases, only one end of the scaphoid is supplied arterially. Thus the poorly vascularized fragment frequently becomes necrotic.