A Nine-Year Follow-Up of Stage II Preiser’s Disease Treated With a Temporary Dorsal Wrist-Spanning Plate: A Case Report

Preiser’s disease, also known as avascular necrosis of the scaphoid, is a rare condition that is incompletely understood in regard to pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. There have been numerous case reports and case series evaluating a variety of conservative and operative interventions, but optimal treatment has not been well established. We describe the case of a 20-year-old female with stage II Preiser’s disease that was managed with a vascularized bone graft from the 1,2 intercompartmental supraretinacular artery, in addition to temporary dorsal wrist-spanning bridge plate fixation. At the nine-year follow-up, the patient had near full wrist range of motion, no pain, and radiographs showing preserved carpal alignment and a scapholunate angle within normal range. Our findings suggest that this surgical technique is a viable option for restoring scaphoid vascularity, preserving carpal alignment, and halting disease progression.