I have been diagnosed with Preiser's disease/scaphoid avascular necrosis. My scaphoid bone is collapsed and my hand surgeon says it was caused by my not getting my carpal tunnel syndrome taken care of soon enough---for 20 years doctors kept telling me it wasn't bad enough. Then immediately after surgery I lost my health insurance for eleven years.

I'm having a real hard time finding anything on this disease. Does anybody out there know anything about it? Treatment options?

sue

-- sue polin (spolin@netnoise.net), March 29, 2004

Answers

I habe been diagnosed with the same and had the surgery. Dr. William J. Erricson. Of Whinchester Mass. He knows all about it. address 611 Main St. Whinchester Mass.It took 10 doctors before I got an answer for my pain. Wish u luck

Eileen Collins I lost 80 o/o of the use of my right hand.

-- Eileen Collins (jolag48@cs.com), May 17, 2004.

Dear Sue, I too have been searching for info about this disease. I'm sure that there is a wealth of info out there, but I'll be damned if I can find it anywhere. Please, if you find anything of significance I would really appreciate it if you would share it with me and I will do the same in return. Thanks and good luck to you. sincerely, Geoff

-- Geoff (Geoffwvu@yahoo.com), June 23, 2004.

What kind of info are you looking for? I also have been daignosed with it. The scaphoid bone in my right wrist is no longer circulating blood through it and it appears on MRI's as a black (dead) area. I am currently using an ultrasound bone stimulator made by Exogen. Twice a day for twenty minutes each time. This was caught early due to swelling and pain, so there was no collapse of the bone; last MRI indicated very slight progress. Whether it is the stimulator or just the wrist brace I wear, or even just time is not known yet. I have the worlds best orthopaedic doctor, Dr. Takei of Abington Orthopaedics in Abington PA. He has been truly forward and open about what's been happening in my wrist, and always takes all the time I want to ask questions.

-- D. Bilenski (clutch0311@msn.com), July 24, 2004.

I work for a corporation and we get medical files. One of the patient's was diagnosed with the same thing but I didn't know what it was either. I did a little research on it and came across your question. So here goes... The carpal tunnel is the area where tendons and nerves to the hand can be found. When you have carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS there is pressure or swelling on the median nerves causing pain, needle-like sensations, and numbness due to lack of blood supply. Which in turn leads to avascular necrosis which is the death of a part or all of a bone due to inadequate blood supply. You can get treatment with an EBI bonestimulator and the use of a spica splint. This has been somewhat effective in other cases. You didn't do anything wrong so there is nothing to worry about. This is a spontaneous condition. If I was of any help at all... your welcome. :)

-- Fel Garcia (tatagarcia14@yahoo.com), September 24, 2004.