The venous drainage of the lunate bone

One of the theories as to the etiology and pathogenesis of lunatomalacia (Kienböck's disease) is based on the presentation of an osseous compartment syndrome caused by a venous block in the pedicle. This gave us cause to examine the lunate bone more closely and to investigate possible anatomical causes for the disruption. For this purpose, ten hands were removed from cadavers proximal to the radiocarpal articular space. Through an artificial intraosseous canal, which did not touch the vascular structures of the lunate bone, epoxy could be injected under controlled conditions. The venous drainage, from the exit out of the bones up to the entrance into the comitant veins of the distal forearm, was exposed as a preparation under the microscope. In all preparations a dense plexus of small venous vessels was found at the palmar and dorsal periosteal face which has not previously been described in literature. As this wide plexus is woven into the solid palmar as well as into the dorsal connective tissue, it could be, as we suppose, the weak point of the venous drainage we have been looking for. It is easy to imagine that the rheological situation in this venous segment is impaired and an osseous compartment syndrome is induced by systemic factors as well as by local compression. The French version of this article is available in the form of electronic supplementary material and can be obtained by using the Springer Link server located at http://​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s00276–002–0065-y.