One of the wrist bones. It is the outermost bone on the thumb side of the hand, in the row of wrist bones nearest the elbow.
A fracture of the scaphoid is a common wrist injury usually caused by a fall on an outstretched hand.
A characteristic symptom is tenderness in the space between the tendons at the base of the thumb on the back of the hand.
Treatment is by immobilizing the wrist in a cast.
a fracture of the scaphoid bone in the wrist, usually caused by a fall onto the outstretched hand. There is pain and swelling in the *anatomical snuffbox and movements of the wrist and thumb are painful. If the fracture is suspected but not initially visible on X-ray, advanced imaging (a bone scan, CT scan, or MRI) is now increasingly used to confirm the diagnosis without delay. Treatment is with a cast for an undisplaced fracture and by internal fixation for a displaced fracture. Due to the anatomy of its blood supply, healing can take a long time, and a *bone graft and internal fixation may be required for non-*union.... scaphoid fracture
Health Encyclopedia